The Shadows of Hatred
by strawberrymagic01
Summary: When her father dies, Maria Merryweather is sent to live with her Uncle in Moonacre Valley. Here she learns of the terrible curse of the moon, and races against time to save her new home. Little does she know however, that the curse is not the only thing haunting the magical valley.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello :) I wrote a story for the Little White Horse a long time ago and recently came across it. Rereading it I realised there are MANY things that need improving, and it's not even finished for starters! So I decided to repost it as a new story, using Maria instead of an OC because I've decided I love the character of Maria too much to leave her out. I hope you enjoy this newly edited version (a lot of things will change) and please leave a review if you fancy. Thanks for reading!**

**~ Prologue ~**

"Father, I have bad news." Robin called out, bursting through the doors of the great hall. The sudden noise that he had walked in on died down almost instantly, and Robin's eyes widened when he realised he had interrupted dinner, he had expected his father to be alone with his advisors. _Damn_, he thought. Now he had to break the news in front of the entire clan.

William De Noir was the leader of the De Noir clan, and more commonly known as Coeur. He was a large yet short man whose eyes were as black as his charred heart. His hair and beard were dark and long and only added to the menacing look about him. "Speak, boy!" Coeur's voice rang throughout the hall, and regaining his composure Robin strode to the head of the table, where his father sat with a goblet of wine in his hand. He was drunk, Robin was sure.

Swallowing hard he readjusted his bowler hat. "Well… we," He gestured to the three boys who stood awkwardly behind him. "Were checking the traps nearest to the Merryweather property and overheard a commotion. Benjamin Merryweather was ranting about having to have women in the house again…" Robin coughed, noticing the tension his words had created so far. "His brother has died, and his daughter is to move to Moonacre Valley."

"A new Moon Princess…" He repeated, his hand clenched so tightly round the goblet that the delicate glass shattered, spilling wine all over his arm. He didn't seem to notice. A young servant scurried over, biting her lip with fear. She quickly cleared up the glass and dabbed gently at the wine with a cloth. The older man had clearly lost all sense of fun and humour.

Robin hesitated before continuing. "She shall arrive in two days." He finished, and took a step back, realising that his father was not happy. His face had reddened and screwed up in anger, and he slammed his fist down onto the table.

"What?!" He boomed, standing up so forcefully that his chair rocked and then fell to the ground with a crash. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?!" He grabbed Robin by the collar and glared down at him. "Why?!" He spat.

"Father this happened just over an hour ago." Robin replied, returning his father's glare. "The Merryweather manor is five miles away over different terrain, I'm not sure what more you expect." Behind him, Robin heard the sigh of one of his friends. Being smart to Coeur de Noir was not a smart thing to do, yet Robin made this mistake countless times despite each consequence.

Coeur laughed dryly, shaking his head. "What did I do to deserve a bugger like you as a son?" He said in a low voice, pushing the boy away from him and picking up the new wine glass that had been placed by his food. The chatter started up again.

Robin shrugged, readjusting his shirt and collar. "Like father, like son." He smirked and turned to walk away.

"Robin, wait." Coeur called. The boy turned back to face his father who downed the wine, thumped his glass onto the table and smacked his son across the face so hard that everyone fell silent for the second time. With that, Robin realised that he should probably leave and he stumbled out of the dining hall as it spun around him, closely followed by his friends.

An hour later Robin dropped the wet cloth back into the basin and stood up, wincing as his cheek ached as he frowned. The mirror that sat atop his dresser showed him exactly what he was expecting: A yellowish bruise that was forming on his cheekbone. No amount of cool water would stop it from coming up. Swearing under his breath Robin leant against the dresser and tried to bury the anger that was building up inside him. He had never seen eye to eye with his father, and their arguments usually resulted in them at each other's throats, literally. But despite the countless punches he'd received Robin could never find it within himself to hate Coeur, nor retaliate. It was the search for approval that caused this and he still hadn't found it. In his father's eyes he was a disappointment, and it aggravated him to no end.


	2. Chapter 2

**~Chapter 2 – Moving to Moonacre~**

With her stiff_ ivory _(Miss Heliotrope was adamant that the proper name for all dress colours be used) dress and carefully styled strawberry blonde hair, you would imagine Maria Merryweather to be the sort of girl who sits upright at home all day with her dress perfect and unstained. Well, you would be somewhat right.

Maria Merryweather had lived in London all her life, she was a London lady born and raised. She had grown up amongst the hustle and bustle of the every day life, she had slept in her room that faced away from the streets in order to avoid the sounds of the city and she had learnt to be a proper lady just like her mother was. Her mother however was not alive to see her beautiful daughter and now, neither was her father.

Maria huffed as she glanced at the Church tower clock as she passed. It was fast approaching twelve noon, and she had promised her governess, Miss Heliotrope, that she would be home in time for the arrival of her uncle's house servant but it seemed as if she would be late. The park was a twenty minute walk away and with no choice but to leave London after her father's death, Maria just had to say good bye to her closest friend Madeline Frankfurt. It had been a lovely day so far and had she not been moving Maria would have loved to go for a proper walk around the park, perhaps to the lake to see the ducks. However with the little amount of time she had the two friends had to make do with chatting on one of the park benches whilst one of Madeline's butler's stood close by with her dog.

"I'm so sorry this has to happen." Madeline sighed, clutching Maria's hand tightly. "I would have given everything to have you live with us, but given the circumstances my family's reputation…" She trailed off, realising that perhaps she should not carry on. Maria already knew what she meant. Taking in someone who was not part of the family would bring negative attention, and an orphan? Well it would just ruin them.

"It's no bother, really." Maria lied, smiling earnestly at her friend. "I may find that the countryside is a lovely place to live." But the tremble in her voice was apparent, and she swallowed hard to stop herself from crying. She was being whisked away from everything she'd ever known. Now she wouldn't even live near her mother nor her father's grave, and she may never see her beautiful family home again. It hurt a little to imagine another family living in the house. Another girl braiding her hair in Maria's beloved cream bedroom, gazing out over the gardens from the gold rimmed balcony, or another child being tutored in the study, reading book after book from the two story high library. She imagined a happy family sitting round the ten seated dining table, a complete family with a mother and a father and children.

They'd be waited on by smartly dressed butlers as they laughed with each other over their dinner of shrimps and salad and various other dishes. Perhaps they'd even have dinner parties and utilise the ballroom that had shimmering chandeliers and marble floors that looked like rolling clouds. These thoughts brought tears to her eyes but she would not cry, it was not proper. Her father had not eaten at the dining table with Maria and Miss Heliotrope for years, preferring to eat in his private study when he was at home. The ballroom hadn't been used in years, it was dusty and neglected, the sounds of past parties still echoing sadly in Maria's ears whenever she entered the room.

In all honesty, life in London had been a very lonely existence for the past four or five years. Once upon a time her father had spent his time at home in London. He had taken her to the parks and even to a fairground, and they'd laughed and chased each other across the grass. She used to play with his friends' children in the garden, playing intense games of tag of pretending they were pirates and various other characters. That was all before his gambling habit developed into a gambling problem. That was a long time before his gambling problem lead to his early death. The funeral had been a day ago.

It had been raining lightly and the clouds were grey, almost as if the sky was weeping. "Quite the pathetic fallacy." Maria had heard Miss Heliotrope mutter under her breath. She was correct in saying this, the weather really did reflect the mood. Sir Merryweather, although having such a problem with gambling, was well liked in London's society in his earlier years. Before he withdrew and spent his time trying to fix his mistakes he had been to every party and had even thrown some of his own. Today however, Maria knew they were not remembering this version of her father. They were feeling sorry for his poor daughter who had been left with nothing, the girl who stood by the coffin in her black dress, the adornments of lace and her hat the only signs that she was once part of a rich family.

Everyone had heard. The Merryweather man had gambled away all of his fortune and was left in massive debt. Then he had gotten caught up in his lies and was now lying six feet under. His fourteen year old daughter was being sent away as she had no one left but her Uncle. She had felt eyes on her all the time for the past few days, even when alone in the house. It was as if people were constantly whispering about her family only stopping to stare as she walked past, her head held high. It was no surprise when at the funeral she felt a pair of eyes burning into her, ones she found staring from the white gazebo across the other side of the funeral. They belonged to a boy dressed all in black, his nose covered by fabric and his hair hidden by a bowler hat. When she looked back he was gone, but she was not surprised. Very few people knew what to say to her, most just resorting to a 'comforting' tap on the shoulder. She was glad of it however, she preferred not to have the false sympathy. It made her even more uncomfortable – there was something about the atmosphere that day that chilled her to the bone. It was almost as if the shadows that surrounded the funeral party had ironically come to life, and were creeping about them menacingly.

The chiming of the church tower startled Maria from her thoughts and she quickened her pace, rounding the corner to her street. Madeline lived two roads down, in a giant mansion that had ten bedrooms and gardens twice the size of Maria's. Her father was the owner of a very successful bank and the business would be passed down to Madeline's brother, Henry. He was a stuck up young man who was seventeen and believed that he was the perfect suitor for Maria. She was disgusted by this- though she loved his sister dearly she could not stand the boy, finding his attitude much too overwhelming.

Unfortunately, Miss Heliotrope approved of him and speaking of the woman, she stood at the end of the driveway waving madly to Maria as she approached. There was a black carriage that waited outside, led by a beautiful brown horse. "Maria my dear I do believed we agreed you would be back by twelve noon, did we not? I allowed you to leave the house alone on those specific conditions! Next time I'm afraid I may have to accompany you if you will be tardy." Miss Heliotrope scolded, tutting as she folded her arms.

Miss Heliotrope was an odd woman. She was of medium height and quite skinny, with mousy brown hair that she kept tied in a large bun. She wore round reading glasses and gloves at all times and she had impeccable manners and great posture. She spoke Latin and French fluently and all in all she was like a surrogate mother to Maria, having looked after her since birth. "I truly am sorry Miss Heliotrope." Maria apologised, sighing. "I'm afraid there won't be a 'next' time in the country side, but I do appreciate all you've done for me. I will miss you a lot." She couldn't help it when she teared up again.

"Whatever are you talking about dear girl?" Miss Heliotrope gasped. "I'm coming with you of course. I made a promise to your mother on her deathbed that I would look after you and I will not go back on that promise."

The feeling of relief that filled Maria was overwhelming, and she would have happily hugged her tutor right then, however a stout man wearing very odd clothes hurried over to them, a grin plastered to his face. "Ma'am you must be Miss Merryweather, it is a pleasure to meet you." He began. "I am Digweed and I am here to take you to Merryweather Manor, where Sir Benjamin lives." Maria smiled as he kissed her hand, slightly amused by the small chirpy man. He ushered them into the carriage, assuring both that their luggage had been collected and was tightly secured. Then the journey began to Moonacre, or as Maria knew it: the dreaded countryside.


	3. Chapter 3

**~Chapter 3 – The countryside~**

~~~Robin~~~

_Knock knock._

Robin jumped, startled from his daydream. The door opened and a servant girl entered with a glass of water. "Your drink, Sir Robin." She said quietly, resting the tray on the table. "I do hope your injury does not hurt, Sir. I could get the nurse, if you'd like." She stood by his bed, staring at him with expectant eyes. Robin stretched, reaching up to feel the bruise that had formed on his cheek from his father's ring. It had been two days since the incident and the bruise wasn't bothering him anymore, but he assumed it looked inflamed from the way he had been resting.

"I'm fine, Marcella." He replied, and she nodded hastily and rushed towards the door. Robin grabbed the glass of water and swallowed it all, sighing as he replaced it on the tray. He had spent the entire morning cooped up in his room, trying to work out how he was going to deal with this problem. The Merryweather girl was no doubt a Moon Princess, and that was incredibly bad news. His father had enforced that with his reaction two days ago, and Robin considered himself lucky that he hadn't torn the skin. His father wasn't always aggressive, he was in good spirits a lot. But when his son irked him his temper was unpredictable and so was his leading hand – Robin had discovered last summer that his father had a strong punch.

He swung his legs over the bed and stood up, his eyes immediately spotting Marcella who was still stood at the door, watching him with squinty eyes. "You may leave…" He sighed, and she jumped out of her trance, her cheeks flushing as she hurried away. It wasn't uncommon for the girls in the De Noir Castle and the village to develop crushes on the heir. He had strong cheekbones and dark eyes and his curly hair was well liked despite his tendency to cover it with his hat. Despite his looks however Robin never seemed to use them to his advantage, unlike his friend Joseph who flirted with anything that moved. None of the girls around really caught his eye, there was no one he wanted to pursue. It was a good thing too, he couldn't afford to get distracted with the pressure of being a good heir. He had work to do.

Before she had come in, Robin had been thinking. He was desperate to impress his father, as he had been seen as a failure for his whole life. It wasn't that he actually failed at everything he did; it was just that his father had hardly any love for him. Sighing, he thought of his mother. He had never met her. She died giving birth to him, and that was his theory for why his father hated him so much. It wasn't his fault though, was it? He knew his father blamed him. It was quite obvious by the way he was treated by the cruel but powerful man. All he needed was to prove himself, and the arrival of this girl was his chance.

His father had sent the group to London the day of the funeral in order to identify her and if possible, prevent her from coming to the valley. They were unsuccessful in this of course, at the funeral the moon princess was surrounded by people. She was pretty, he had to admit. She stood with an air of grace and her almost-ginger hair stood out in the dreary funeral procession. At the house they did not even manage to get near. The entire evening was spent watching guests arrive to pay their respects to the girl and at night oddly enough all of the possessions were being removed from the house, piled up into various carriages. The Moon Princess had stood by the window watching, her face a picture of tragedy.

Moon Princesses were always difficult, and Coeur would need all the help he could get if he was to capture her. The moon princess would be arriving today, probably in a posh carriage. He wondered what she would be like. He had met her before, once upon a time. But now she was much older- fifteen, he believed. She would most likely be well spoken and quite feeble. She probably would despise the countryside. _Ugh. _Robin hated to even be near the manor, let alone have to deal with the stupid Moon Princess.

"That's it!" Robin suddenly yelled. He knew what to do. He would take his men down to the gate of Moonacre, and they would await the carriage that carried the Merryweather girl. He knew that Digweed would have to stop to open the gate, and that was his chance to jump up onto the carriage and try to pull the girl out. It would be terribly risky, but he had to try. He smiled to himself, pleased. He looked up at the coat of arms on the wall opposite his bed. It was dark and sinister, with a black lion. He was proud to be a cunning De Noir. Just at that moment, a tall boy burst into the room. His curly light brown hair was a mess and his tanned face was red from running.

"Robin, Digweed left for London last yesterday! They shall be here soon!" He panted, leaning against the door in exhaustion. Given that Digweed stayed in London overnight in order to bring the girl back the next day, the boys would be lucky if they hadn't already arrived at Moonacre. Robin grabbed his leather jacket and rushed towards the door.

"Joseph. Go and get Isaac and Paul, I have a plan to get the princess." Robin smiled, a sly glint in his chestnut brown eyes.

~~~Maria~~~

The journey dragged on, and the gentle bumpiness of the road slowly rocked Maria to sleep, but she kept waking up with a start. She kept expecting to be cuddled up in her four poster bed with white soft duvets and many pillows. But she wasn't. She was sitting awkwardly in the back of a carriage, her head resting on Miss Heliotrope's shoulder. "This is officially the longest journey I have ever been on!" She sighed, rubbing her eyes hard and sitting up straight. Miss Heliotrope nodded in agreement, as she peered through her spectacles at the yellowing pages of a large book. How she could read on such a bumpy journey, Maria didn't know. Maria had been left a book in her father's will, one of the few things she had now from her previous life. In actual fact she had never laid eyes on this book before and had cried when she was told it was all her father had left her. The book was called 'The Chronicles of Moonacre' and was currently packed in one of the suitcases as Maria could not read in a moving vehicle.

The countryside was slowly folding out in front of her eyes, the round hills with tall grass swaying softly in the wind. There were a few trees dotted here and there, and Maria gasped in surprise when she saw a large, four legged creature with white skin with black splodges. It was a cow- living in London all her life meant she never saw one in real life. "Miss Heliotrope, look, look! It's a cow! Oh not just a cow, many cows!" She gasped, pulling Miss Heliotropes sleeve so she had to look up and see.

"Ah yes, cows, how… dirty." She stuttered, gazing at them in disgust. One was particularly close to the dusty road, standing by the wooden gate. It looked up and mooed lazily at them as they past, and Miss Heliotrope jumped back in her seat in shock. Maria giggled at her governess; Miss Heliotrope absolutely hated any living thing apart from humans that moved. This meant no pets for Maria. She didn't really mind to be honest; she could have gone to Madeline's house to see Benny the cocker spaniel. She knew that the countryside would be full of animals, oh how amused she would be at Miss Heliotropes reaction to all of them!

Would her Uncle Benjamin have any pets? She hoped so. She had never met him. She didn't even know he existed until recently, her father had never even mentioned him in the whole fifteen years of her life. Well, he might have before she could listen and understand. But the question that was nagging her was what would he look and be like? Would he be like her father, tall but slightly large, with a stern face? He could be the complete opposite. She knew he must be kind. He had taken her in, so of course he was nice. Or had he just done it to look good? Perhaps he was strict and didn't even like children. Life in London had become quite miserable, but Maria couldn't stand it if it was the same way in the countryside. At least in London she could go out and see people.

Henry had always called Maria a worry pot, he had always told her to relax and Maria despised him. It wasn't that he had ever done anything to make her hate him, he was just particularly unpleasant. Henry Ashmore. He was a tall, good looking boy with black hair that framed his face perfectly, and made his ocean blue eyes stand out even more. He was a selfish boy who thought he was better than everybody else, but Maria's father liked Henry a lot. He would invite him to dinners and parties, and always make sure Maria sat next to him or danced with him. She knew Henry liked her, much more than a friend. He was the sort to make no secret of it. Maria had been raised as a polite girl, but Henry would take no hints. She was worried that eventually she would have to say outright that she did not like him at all. Perhaps that was one good thing about leaving London, she wouldn't see that snobby boy again. She shuddered, realising that Henry had once again entered her thoughts that day. "Miss Heliotrope, I need to get my mind off of everything." Maria sighed, adjusting her skirts.

Miss Heliotrope searched about in her big bag for a moment, before pulling out some needles. "There is only one thing left to do on a journey like this." She answered, handing a pair to Maria.

"Classic French Needle Point." They said simultaneously, and began knitting.


	4. Chapter 4

**~Chapter 4 - Moonacre~**

"Almost there," Digweed called out from the front of the carriage, and Maria sighed with relief. She could see that they were heading towards large iron gates. She watched as Digweed stopped the carriage and walked over to the gates to unlock them. They were on a cobble stone path now, and Maria felt much more stable than when they had been travelling on the muddy roads of the countryside.

"Miss Heliotrope, what do you think the house is-" Maria was rudely cut off by a loud thump on the top of the carriage. "What was that?" She gasped, grabbing hold of Miss Heliotrope's hand. The nervous lady stuttered a bit before answering.

"Oh… probably j...Just the...the…the trees." Miss Heliotrope gulped. Maria relaxed a little; Miss Heliotrope was very rational so of course it would probably be the trees. The countryside was full of overhanging and wild trees, wasn't it? That's what it seemed like in storybooks. She let go of her governess' hand had leaned out of the window to check if a branch had fallen.

"Agh!" She yelped as someone roughly grabbed her wrist with one hand, and her neck with the other. Their grip was tight and she writhed about, determined to be set free. "Let me go!" She screeched, twisting and turning to try and loosen the grip of the young boy who had gotten hold of her. Next to her she could hear yells as somebody fought with Miss Heliotrope. She grabbed the boys hand and tried her best to scratch it with her nails as they were fairly long, but to no avail. Then she realised in the other hand she was still holding her needle. "Get off!" She yelled, scraping the needle down the hand. The boy cried out and immediately let go of her, and as the carriage began to move again the two boys fell off the back, shouting out in anger. Maria let out a breath of relief and she fell back onto her seat. Miss Heliotrope flopped down next to her, her face red and her hat out of place. "Oh Miss Heliotrope, what was that all about?" She gasped, smoothing her tame hair. "And why did Digweed not notice?" The man servant seemed to not have even heard the commotion that had been happening whilst he opened the gate.  
"He must be a half-wit," Miss Heliotrope said quietly, putting her hat back in place. Maria stifled a giggle by covering her mouth, just in case he heard, but her heart was still hammering. They had been inside (well technically just outside) Moonacre Valley for only five minutes and already they had been attacked. London was never a safe city but she knew in the area she was in she would not be attacked as there were always family friends watching out for her, and she was always accompanied. She also made sure only to go out in broad daylight but here they were in the evening sun and they had almost been kidnapped. The countryside didn't seem so welcoming suddenly. They were getting closer to the Manor now, and Maria risked looking out the window again, even though Miss Heliotrope warned her many times that the boys might come back. Then she smiled in delight when she saw the old manor. _Wow. My new home._ She thought, her eyes focused on the large majestic house.

~~~Robin~~~

"Damn it!" Robin yelled, picking himself up from the dusty road. He kicked at a stone in frustration, sending it flying into the grass. Next to him, Joseph slumped his shoulders in defeat. The two in the carriage had put up a struggle. The Moon Princess was tougher than he had thought; in fact she was completely different to what he had expected. He stumbled over to the gates which were now closed, and gripped the iron bars in anger. He couldn't help but let out an angry cry, as he watched the girl once again lean out of the window, her light curls moving with the breeze. "Stupid witch." He growled, taking off the bowler hat that was placed on his head. Then he remembered the cut he now had on his hand and cursed again. It stung badly, and he clutched his hand, trying to make the pain go away. The jagged red scar would be a permanent reminder of how the girl had beaten him.

"Robin, what shall we tell your father?" Joseph asked, rubbing at his leg where he had fallen from the carriage awkwardly. Robin stalked over and yanked the boy up by his collar. Failing to capture the girl had put him in a really bad mood.

"We will not mention this to my father, I didn't tell him we were going to try and get her. Nobody says anything about this, ok?" Robin snapped, glaring at the two other boys who were hiding in the bushes ready to help Robin when he got her out of the carriage.

""Why, Robin? Scared of your old man?" One teased, but the boy next to him whacked him over the head. Robin just glared; He was in no mood to join in on the jokes and pretend to be insulted. Isaac was one of his closest friends, but he really didn't know when to close his mouth to avoid making things worse- and that annoyed Robin.

"Don't make Robin mad, he's got a lot on his mind!" The other boy hissed. Isaac stared at his friend for a moment, wondering whether to shut up or continue taunting his childhood friend.

"Oh come on, Robin's a man enough to take a couple of jokes!" He laughed. But from a second glare from Robin, he rolled his eyes and left the cover of the bushes to head back to the De Noir Castle.

~~~Maria~~~

There it was. Merryweather Manor. To be honest, it wasn't as spectacular as Maria had expected, but she was known for her huge imagination and she had thought up an amazing castle. Though with its arched window and turret Maria thought it looked rather as if it was from a fairy tale, but had a sense of loneliness. There was ivy crawling up the cream coloured stones of the building and the manor was surrounded by forest. It was quite picturesque though, like a painting with the gorgeous crimson sky in the background. At the entrance she could see a tall man with dark hair standing there, no expression at all on his face. That _must be Uncle Benjamin… _She thought. He looked quite gloomy, as if all happiness and love had been sucked from his soul. She shuddered. Perhaps it was just a mask though, and he was just trying to show that he was the boss and that Maria was to do what he said. But if he was anything like her father before he died, he would be cold and dull. She thanked Digweed politely as he helped her and Miss Heliotrope out of the carriage, and then nervously approached the man that had taken her in. He still stood by the door, but he moved aside to let her in. "Nice to meet you, Uncle Benjamin," She said shyly.

"Maria," He acknowledged her at least, she thought. She took hold of her Governesses hand and they followed Sir Benjamin inside the manor.

"Oh Sir Benjamin, we've had the most terrible ride! Just outside the gates we were attacked by-"Miss Heliotrope began to stutter.

"I would appreciate it if we could hear your fascinating story some other time." Benjamin interrupted rudely. Maria frowned. Did he not care? She carried on walking, then stopped suddenly.  
"Oh!" Maria jumped backwards, and Miss Heliotrope let out a squeak of fear. For there in front of them, sitting by an armchair and fireplace was a dog. A large Labrador with messy black fur and blood red eyes. Glancing at Miss Heliotrope, she could see her tutor was terrified. Her skin had gone a deathly shade of white and she stood next to Maria clenching her hand. Although she had wished for Uncle Benjamin to have pets, this was not what she was hoping for. The dog looked menacing and its demon red eyes did not settle her nerves.

"This is Wrolf. He very probably won't hurt you, as you're a Merryweather." Benjamin told them, smirking slightly at their horrified faces. Then he moved quickly on, leading them up a wide stone staircase. It was quite grand, but a little spooky, Maria thought. The corridors were dimly lit and the sun had almost set, soon the valley would be in darkness, with only the glow of the moon for light. "Your room is down there to the left, Miss Heliotrope." Benjamin gestured down the corridor. Miss Heliotrope nodded briskly and held out her hand for Maria to take.

"Come along Maria; let's not bother Sir Benjamin anymore. I'm sure your room shall be along here too." She began to walk down the corridor, but Benjamin interrupted her.

"Maria's room is up in the tower, Miss Heliotrope." He informed them. He opened a creaky door that lead to some stairs into the tower. Maria gasped. She had not ever slept that far from Miss Heliotrope. Having the governess in a room nearby comforted her- London was not the safest of places, and now she knew that neither was the countryside. It was also rather high, Maria was not so sure about being up there. What if she was to go onto the balcony and fall?

"Uncle Benjamin, if you don't mind I'd much rather-" She began, but Benjamin cut her off and ushered her up the stairs.

"I think you'd better see the room before you make any decisions." He told her. They climbed the stairs and Benjamin led her through another door, into a small room with a beautiful painting on the wall opposite a set of 3 steps and a small door. The painting was of a woman, with a golden frame that sparkled in the dim light. Her sculpted face was framed by dark long hair, and though she was pretty she looked somewhat sad.

"Who is that, Uncle Benjamin?" She asked, rather taken by the wonderful painting. Benjamin seemed to curse under his breath, and didn't answer her question.

"I'll leave you to see your room." He told her, and turned on his heel and left. Bewildered by his sudden departure, Maria raised her eyebrows and entered the small door. She had to duck a little, but she managed to fit through perfectly.

_Wow._

She had never expected anything like this. The ceiling was cone shaped- she was in a tower after all. But it was the design of the night sky, and the way that each star seemed to sparkle that amazed her. The wall had a mural of a forest; how someone could paint such a detailed picture she didn't know. There was a bed with baby blue sheets, a small chair and a dressing table. The fire glimmered magically in the fire place opposite the bed, the design of the fireplace looked like a wave, with a head of a horse on the end. The windows were arched and the view from the room was gorgeous, Maria couldn't wait to go onto the balcony the next morning with her tutor and admire the view. And as she placed her case on the loveseat at the end of her bed and lay down under the covers, she couldn't help but smile.


	5. Chapter 5

**~Chapter 5 – A Kidnapping~**

_Darkness, echoing silence, no end, but also no beginning...eternal hatred and hearts that have never felt love. Those words were running through Maria's head. It was pitch black. She felt around, trying to find something to help her know where she was. Nothing. Suddenly she could see. Maria was in the forest. How did she end up here? Perhaps she had been sleep walking. How strange, Maria had never done that before. She had better get back. It was dark; she couldn't even see the stars or even the moon! Now, what way was it to the manor? Damn, Maria hadn't been in the forest before, and she didn't like it. The eerie sound of trees rustling put her on edge and she could not see that far ahead of her._

_Maybe it would be easier to just stay where she was until morning? Surely someone would find her. Or at least it would be light enough for her to find her way. At the moment she could only just make out the scenery around her and her heart was beating uncontrollably. "oh!" She gasped. There was someone there! Perhaps he could help her. He was facing with his back to her, a couple of meters away. "Hello?" She called. No answer. Maybe he couldn't hear her. Who was he? She was sure she recognised the leather jacket with its many buckles. Adela stood up and began to stumble towards him, but stopped at the spine chilling sound of whispering. It was coming from all around her, from behind every tree, plant, even every blade of grass. She couldn't make out what the whispers said. Something about darkness, and silence… and no love. Maria shivered, it was certainly creepy here. But she wasn't about to sit down and cry, no, she would face whatever was out there. London girls may be proper but they were not wimps. _

_"Hello?" She called again. But instead of ignoring her, the boy whipped around. Maria could think of many words to describe the look on his face. Though there was only one word that described it the best. Horror. He stood there, as if rooted to the spot, his eyes wide as he stared at her. "Who…who are you?" Maria asked, not expecting a reply. He just stayed there with that same horrified expression, but now his brown eyes were darting about the place. Had she seen him before? She didn't think so. She didn't recognise the boy with his messy, curly brown hair and bowler hat. But she had seen that jacket- and that hand with the jagged scar. He looked rather ghost like. Suddenly, he ran._

_He sped towards her, grabbing her wrist, and pulling her along with him. Maria screamed out, taken by surprise. They rushed through the forest, the trees just blurs. What were they running from? She could hardly keep up, and kept tripping over tree roots and other debris. "Ouch!" She cried, as he released his grip on her arm and she toppled over. Groaning, she sat up and rubbed her back. Her dress was ripped and dirty, Miss Heliotrope would not be pleased! _

_ "Hissss…" Maria's heart skipped a beat._

_What was that hissing noise? It came from all around her, like the whispers. But this time it was scarier. She looked up, her eyes searching for the boy. He stood not far away, facing her. He didn't look…real. God she was scared. It was hazy. Wisps of dark stuff floated around. Suddenly without warning, a dark shadow like thing engulfed him. He stepped forward, reaching out a hand, as if wanting her to pull him away. But she sat frozen with fear, her eyes glued to the boy who was slowly disappearing. Then sense hit her, and she scrambled to her feet and backed away. _

_It was coming. The shadows. They swirled as they traveled through the air, straight towards her. There were eyes- red eyes. They stared into her soul as she tried to run. Hissssss… But where could she go? She didn't know the forest._

"Oh dear god," Maria sat up, her heart racing. It was late morning, she could tell. Why had no one woken her up? At least the dream was over though. Shivering slightly from the memory, she sat up. The room looked magical in the morning light as well, almost as if it was sparkling. She looked over to the bedside table, noticing a cup. It was filled with warm milk, and next to it was a dainty plate of flower shaped cookies! _Oh how lovely! _Maria thought, the dream immediately forgotten. She grinned, taking one and nibbling on it. It was no doubt the best she had ever had. The warm taste exploded in her mouth, and she quickly finished the rest.

Maria got out of bed and walked sleepily over to her case. She was about to open it when something caught her eye. It was the ceiling. It had changed. She could have sworn the mural was of a night sky- now it was blue with puffy clouds. Seeing that, she remembered the final moments before she drifted off to sleep. A shooting star had zoomed across the ceiling. She had passed it off as her mind playing up; she was tired after all. But now she wasn't so sure, how could a mural change like that? Sighing, Maria brushed it off and opened her case, pondering over which dress to wear. She decided to pick one at random, and picked out one of a deep blue, with ribbons decorating the square neckline, and sleeves that ended at her wrist in a triangular shape. Then as she turned to change another thing caught her eye. An old looking dress, draped over the arm chair. She sighed again, her mind whirling at all of the strange happenings.

"Good morning, Miss Merryweather," Digweed greeted, pulling out a chair for the girl to sit upon. He laid the table in front of her and then hurried off. Maria placed the napkin over her skirts, and smiled sleepily at her governess who sat opposite her, shovelling food into her mouth.

"Hello dear, have you tried the food yet? Unlike anything I have ever tasted. Good, very good. Especially this kedgeree. I must say I haven't had a dish this good in years." She rambled on, and Maria took a croissant from a silver shiny plate.

"And I believe it is a dish best enjoyed in silence." Benjamin hinted.

"Good morning Uncle," She said shyly. He grunted a reply, a look of plain annoyance on his face. Ah, he had been unwise and started a conversation with Miss Heliotrope! Maria thought, giggling slightly. She knew her governess had a tendency to go on, usually about the strangest things. She munched on her croissant, only half listening to her tutor.

"Who is your cook, may I ask Sir Benjamin? The food is amazing, certainly doing wonders for my trapped wind-" Miss Heliotrope carried on, but Benjamin interrupted her.

"Can't a man enjoy a meal in his own home in silence?!" Benjamin snapped, his spoon clunking against the bowl with force. Miss Heliotrope quit talking then, and raised her eyebrows at Maria. They sat there eating in silence for the next 10 minutes, and when Maria had finished she dared speak again.

"May I go out and explore the grounds today?" She asked. Benjamin looked up from his meal and nodded.

"Yes, but be sure not to go into the forest! It's dangerous for a girl like you."

What did he mean a girl like her? Maria frowned. "Oh Maria, please do wait for someone to go with you, the countryside may have many horrid animals that may… that may eat you!" Miss Heliotrope stuttered, her face going red and her eyes wide behind her round glasses. Although Maria tried her best to keep a straight face, both she and Benjamin couldn't help but splutter with laughter at this.

"Miss Heliotrope I will tell you with such confidence that you shouldn't be worried about any horrid animals around here." He laughed; finally her uncle was warming up. All thanks to Miss Heliotrope's fear of every animal there was on the planet. Maria giggled and stood up, thanking her uncle and Digweed for breakfast. Then she left the dining room and hurriedly got the book her father had given her from her room. As she walked to the front door, Wrolf padded up to her and nuzzled his nose into her palm. She jumped, but relaxed and then patted him. Perhaps he wasn't so scary!

The gardens were beautiful, but seemed lonely. The roses were droopy and the fountain in the back wasn't sparkling and didn't seem to have any life to it. As she walked along the path of pebbles, a gap in the hedges caught her eye. It lead to the forest. She knew she shouldn't go out there… but it felt as if she needed to, as if the forest was calling her. "Oh shut up, Maria!" She scolded herself, and then giggled when she realised she had been talking to herself. Though she was mentally yelling at herself to stop, Maria found herself walking through the gap and into the forest- that her uncle had warned her to stay out of.

It was peaceful, and relaxing. The soft sounds of a cricket chirping soothed her. But there seemed no other life. She sat herself down on a log and opened the book. It was named "The Chronicles of Moonacre Valley". _How odd, that's the name of this place! _She thought, but she began reading. The writing was spiralled and the pages were yellow and seemed very old.

_Once upon a perfect time, many hundreds of years ago, when the old magic clung to Moonacre Valley, there was a young woman whose skin gleamed as pale as the stars, and whose heart was as pure as moonlight. Such was her bravery, and goodness. She was beloved by nature, as if she were its own daughter. One faithful night, the moon blessed her, with and extraordinary gift, that would change the magic of the valley, forever. The moon pearls. From that day forth she was known as The Moon Princess. Two ancient families lived in harmony at the edge of the valley, sharing nature's bounty. Daughter of the De Noir clan, The Moon Princess fell deeply in love and was to be married to Sir Ralph Merryweather. Her father, Sir William De Noir, blessed the union by presenting the couple with a rare black lion. In turn, Sir Ralph gave his bride a unicorn, lured from the wild white horses of the sea. Her heart overflowing with happiness, The Moon Princess revealed the magical pearls to both families. Legend told of their unique power, so strong the pearls would grant every wish, both good and evil._

The picture was so detailed; the drawing of the Moon Princess was so beautiful. It was as if the picture was moving, telling the story itself.

**_Eeeep!_**

Maria's head shot up from the book and she slowly looked around. She was sure she had heard something. _Hmm_… perhaps it was just a bird, she thought. But still, the curious girl stood up, tucked the book inside the log where she could come back for it later, and left the small clearing. She wasn't really sure what she was looking for, it was just the sound had distracted her and she was no longer in the mood to read. She wandered through the forest, searching for the source of the sound.

**_Eeeep!_**

There it was again! Maria gasped. Right there in front of her, was a small round trap, with a small white hare inside. It cowered in the corner, its nose quivering. "Oh you poor thing!" She whispered, kneeling down and began to fiddle with the catch. It was harder than she thought to open it. Should she bring it home? Miss Heliotrope wouldn't be pleased. She would probably be quite horrified. Oh well, Adela decided that she would take it back, as once she had set her mind on something, it was hard to change that. She was concentrating so much on opening the trap that she didn't hear to crunch of leaves as someone approached her.

"One trap, two catches." Maria spun around at the voice, her heart almost leaping out of her mouth. For, there behind her, stood a boy, only a little bit older than her. He watched her with a mischievous twinkle in his eye, as three other boys walked out from behind trees and bushes.

"What do you want?" She asked, standing up and trying to look unnerved. The boy smirked, and chuckled as he looked at his friends.

"That's girls, can't resist coming to help an animal!" He ignored her question and his friends laughed mockingly at her, and Maria felt her face heat up. She took a step backwards, and put her hands on her hips.

"That's because us _girls_ have feelings!" She retorted. The boy raised his eyebrows and laughed, stepping forwards every time she moved back. Maria then decided to stand her ground. If she ran, she would most certainly be caught. There were 4 of them and only one of her. The horrid nervous feeling surfaced and she wished she had listened to her Uncle's advice. He did know best after all…

"Only girls have feelings, do they? I'm pretty sure right now I feel something."

"And what's that, Robin?" One of the boys asked, walking forward to join the boy. They stood there, both dressed in black. _Robin. _She thought. Suited him, she thought. He seemed to have a bird brain from what she could tell.

"I feel… like capturing a Moon Princess!" Robin replied, and before Maria could even blink, he leapt forward and caught hold of her. She immediately tried to fight back, hitting and slapping him as much as she could, but he had a strong grip and some her feeble hits didn't do anything. "Ooh, she's feisty, boys!" He mocked, as she yelled at him and tried to get free, but to no avail. The boys started herding her through the forest, laughing and chatting to each other as if kidnapping someone was a normal thing to do.

"At least answer my question." Maria growled. She had given up trying to escape; she knew that the four boys could easily chase her and find her again. She wouldn't even know which way to go anyway. She glared up at the boy next to her, Robin. He had a firm grip on her shoulder, and a small smirk across his lips. He looked down at her, amused.

"Well if you are so desperate to know, my father is just dying to make your acquaintance!" He chuckled, but his laughter was cut short when Maria started screaming and yelling. "What are you doing?!" He hissed, attempting to cover her mouth. She didn't answer, but kept on making as much noise as she could. Perhaps someone would hear and come to her rescue!

"Robin, what should we do?" Joseph asked, his eyes glancing nervously around.

"Use your scarf and make her be quiet!" Robin snapped, and Joseph quickly did what he was told. Maria swallowed hard, trying not to let the tears well up in her eyes. She had no idea what was going on, she had been in the countryside for a day and people wanted to kidnap her. Why had Uncle Benjamin brought her to such a dangerous place? What did these people even want with her? Her heart beat sped up again at the horror of what they could do. She may never see anyone she loved again. Oh what would Miss Heliotrope think?


	6. Chapter 6

**~Chapter 6 - The De Noir Castle~**

~~~Robin~~~

The Moon princess had shut up, thank goodness. Robin guided her through the forest, a firm hand on her shoulder. She wasn't struggling anymore, probably she had realised that there was now no escape. What was she doing in the woods anyway? Surely a London girl like her would rather sit at home drinking tea with her pinkie finger in the air. He glared at her, remembering the cut on his hand. No, she wasn't entirely posh and lady like. She had lovely hair, tied in a neat plat. Her skin was pale and clear, a little flushed from the outdoors and her eyes were wide and scared. She definitely looked like a London girl. Robin felt the hatred bubble inside him, but he would control himself. And he wouldn't ask her name, she might think he was being friendly.

The group walked on in silence for a while; in fact the whole of the woods was quiet. Robin wasn't surprised. There was hardly any life in the woods because of the curse. Did she know about the curse? He wouldn't mention it, just in case. His father would be pleased. Perhaps he would be proud of his son, and not be disappointed! Of course he would be. After all, Robin had just captured a Merryweather, the number one enemy of the De Noirs. He was sure his mother would be pleased too, wouldn't she? She was probably watching over him, maybe smiling. That was what they wanted, his parents. Well his dad mostly. He wanted to own the whole of Moonacre Valley, and the village too. His father was power hungry. His mother was also a De Noir… she probably was the same way.

"Robin," Isaac said, wakening Robin from his thoughts. They were at the castle, finally. Robin smirked, noticing the grimace on the Princesses face, she had no idea. As they walked down the cobble stone road, villagers and De Noirs cheered the boys along, patting them on the back and making mean comments to the Princess. She looked hurt, then angry, as if she wanted to say something back but she couldn't. Serves her right, Robin thought. Her family had stolen the Moon Pearls.

"Welcome to your new home, princess!" He jeered, pushing her a bit so she would hurry up.

~~~Maria~~~

"My Uncle will come looking for me!" Maria mumbled through the cloth, stumbling a little when Robin pushed her forwards. Surely Uncle Benjamin and Miss Heliotrope would look for her immediately, they would be extremely worried when she didn't return for lunch. Robin laughed at her, but didn't reply. How dirty it was, the grass on either side of the road seemed to be dead, and the stalls were grey and boring. The villagers didn't seem to smile with happiness, they just laughed with hatred. Why? Why did they all hate her? She had never met any of them, ever. Perhaps her Uncle had done something. But he wouldn't, he wasn't that type of person, was he?

The castle was quite big; it must have been grand once. Now it was dull and grey, no signs of joy or magic, unlike Merryweather manor that seemed as if it was out of a fairy tale. The windows were either small and box like or tall and majestic, and there were turrets that towered above them. The drawbridge they were now walking along seemed to be rotting a little, and the giant doors ahead were curtained both sides by two massive coats of arms; blood red with the face of a dark lion, and its eyes black and soulless. It was nothing like Moonacre Manor. Maria stared up at it, the grimace still on her face. She tore her gaze away and focused on the ground, not wanting the castle to make her feel depressed. They trudged up a set of stairs, to the main doors where the guards opened them and sniggered at her. "Well done Sir Robin, your father shall be pleased!" One of the guards told Robin in a gruff voice.

Robin removed the cloth from around her mouth, and unbound her hands. She wiped her mouth furiously, and shook him off her shoulder. "What a charming home you have," She said defiantly, her frightened eyes scanning the dull hallway. There wasn't much light in here, even though it was almost midday. There was one painting that caught her attention, a large man standing with a very beautiful woman. She was tempted to ask who they were, but she held her tongue.

"Glad you like it," Robin retorted, opening another set of doors once they reached the end of the hall. It was a dining room. Most of the floor space was filled with the giant dining table, and above Maria was a crooked set of stairs. The one thing that caught her eye however was what seemed to be a coffin on a stand at the side of the room. How morbid, she thought. Maria gulped, noticing how many people were in the room. The De Noir Clan was feasting at the table, talking and cackling with laughter, and sipping their wine. One man stood out. It was the same man that she had seen in the painting. He was stocky, with a head of black hair that was long, and a slight beard. His small eyes shot to the group at the door immediately, and he stopped talking to the pretty woman next to him.

"Ah, Robin, you have brought us a guest?" He slurred, a hint of sarcasm to his voice. _He must be drunk,_ Maria thought. Robin pushed her forwards, until she was only a few meters from the De Noir. He looked at her, an evil glint in his eye.

"The stupid Moon Princess, Father." Robin said a smug look on his face. Maria felt like slapping him right there, but she knew better. How dare he call her stupid! And… why on earth was he calling her the moon princess?

"Nice to meet you, Miss Merryweather." The De Noir said sarcastically. "Oh, I must introduce myself. I am Coeur De Noir." Coeur smirked as she glared at him.

"De Noir? I'm sure I've heard that before," Maria meant to say this to herself, but it came out louder than she expected. Coeur raised his eyebrows.

"I see you've been reading the book." He grumbled. "Well done Robin."

"Oh…that book. It's just a fairy tale, there are no such things as the Moon Pearls." She told them firmly, frowning. Coeur howled with laughter, along with the people dining.

"Ah, princess. How amusing you are! You must definitely dine with us during your stay. Oh, and you mustn't frown. It doesn't suit your posh London look! Stupid girl… No such thing as the Moon pearls. She knows very well that the darn Merryweathers have them, Those idiotic thieves."

"Don't you dare speak of my family like that!" Maria gasped. How dare they kidnap her, and then speak of her beloved family so rudely! "And I am absolutely not _stupid_!"

Coeur laughed again, amused by Maria's reactions. "She is quite an interesting girl, is she not?" He announced, glancing at her reddening face. "Now, tell me Princess, how much of the book have you read?"

Maria stared at him in disbelief. They had kidnapped her and now he wanted her to tell a story? What on earth was wrong with this place? Glaring at Robin who held her arm tightly, she wrenched it out of his grasp and stood independently. "There was a Moon Princess from the De Noir clan, and she was to marry a Merryweather. At the wedding her father gave her a black lion and her groom a unicorn. She presented them with the Moon pearls. As I said before, it is _just _a story." Maria explained stiffly, her eyes darting around the gloomy room.

"Let me tell you the rest of this _story_, dear girl. Sir Willian De Noir and Sir Merryweather then had their deepest desires revealed by the pearls, and they proceeded to fight over them. The Moon Princess was so overcome with horror and hurt at this that she cursed the valley. When the 5000th Moon rises, Moonacre will be plunged into darkness unless a 'true Moon Princess' is heard. Your Merryweather family stole the pearls and left us with the bloody casket. Since then, this valley has been plagued by the Shadows because of your damned family." Coeur de Noir explained, his voice full of malice. Maria stared at him still, her expression a mix of disbelief and shock. Aggravated, he ripped off a glove to reveal his hand. His skin was pitch black yet still smooth, almost as if it had been charred in a fire yet not burnt. Out of the corner of her eye, Maria saw Robin grimace. "Does it seem like _just a story _to you now?" He growled, holding his hand out in front of her.

"I… I must get home…" Maria stuttered, his hand making her stomach churn more. She did not want to believe in this curse at all but now she was questioning herself and she was starting to feel a little sick.

"Oh no my dear, it is much too far a walk. I say you spend the night here! To the dungeons, Robin."

Robin smiled at his father's response to his finding of the Moon Princess and grabbed her upper arm again. Maria tried struggling- she really did, but this boy was stronger and surrounded by three others who could easily outrun her. And now she would be stuck in the dungeons.

~~~Robin~~~

_Hopefully father was pleased_, he thought. How disappointed Robin would be if he wasn't.  
The hallways were dim, as usual. Robin adverted his eyes as they passed the huge portrait, as he always did. It saddened him, the picture. It reminded him of his mother, the mother he had never met. "Come on, you witch" He growled, as they reached the stairs to the dungeons. The princess had stopped, and she was now clinging onto the banister. Her brown eyes were large and scared, but she stood her ground and refused to move. "Princess, what exactly are you going to do? There's no where you can go without being caught." He mocked, standing in front of her.

"What do you want with me?" Maria asked in a quivering voice, her eyes flickering from Robin's confused face to the darkness of the dungeon. His lips were pursed as he folded his arms in annoyance.

"You heard my father, you know what your dirty family did and you know what you are." He said forcefully, grabbing her arm again and attempting to yank her away from the bannister. But the young princess seemed to have an iron grip and wasn't giving in.

"I truly don't see the fuss!" Maria lied, her knuckles whitening from her grip. "And I do not understand why my family would quarrel with a group of uneducated oafs such as yourselves!" Now that was unexpected. Robin's friends scoffed behind him at this insult – well, they didn't exactly take it as an insult. In fact they were not uneducated, and neither was Robin. Coeur insisted that the boy had proper tutoring, especially as he was to be the future heir. His friends joined him often, learning about wars was far more interesting than collecting prey from the traps.

Smiling a little as he glanced at his boys, Robin shook his head. "Oh, princess. Did your parents never teach you not to judge a person so quickly?" He replied, frowning a little as her face paled and her eyes narrowed. She was such a strange girl, he really had not met anyone like her before.

"No, they did not. But by the manner in which you treat me, I suppose your mother never taught you to respect women!" She snapped, holding back a sob. Robin's eyes widened at the mention of his mother. How dare she bring her into this conversation! How dare she question his mother! His hand tightened around her wrist as he felt the anger boil inside him.

She was watching him, her expression slightly fearful. Isaac walked forwards and put a hand on Robin's shoulder to calm him down a little, but Robin shook him off. The halls were silent, the pocket watch that Joseph kept quietly punctuating every second that passed. Then suddenly Robin pulled her away from the bannister and she cried out in surprise, realising she had weakened her grip as he dragged her down the stairs. "This is your new home, Princess." He said quietly, shoving her into one of the dungeons and slamming the caged door shut after. "Enjoy your stay!" And with that he stalked away, making sure to avoid one particular cell, the one that kept the only prisoner they currently had, a man who was proof to Robin that his father did care about him, even if it wasn't much.

_ "Father, when can we go home? I'm tired!" The young boy moaned. He was out with his father and his father's friends, and they were checking traps and hunting. They had been at it all day, which seemed to be too much for the 8 year old. _

_Coeur ruffled his boy's curly hair, but ignored the question. They had just sighted a deer – the only one they had seen in a while, and he wanted to catch it. "Shhh boy. We mustn't frighten the deer!" He hissed. Robin shrunk away from his father's hand, grumbling to himself. Annoyed, he swiftly climbed the nearest tree, and sat on the lowest branch. He usually did this, nobody ever noticed him up there. His father seemed to have forgotten about him, and had quickly sprinted off after his men. Robin sighed. He was so lonely in Moonacre Valley. Of course he had friends; he was a well-known boy. But no one was truly there for him, and no one understood him really. His father didn't care about Robin's happiness. In fact, Robin was pretty sure his father didn't care about him full stop!_

_Sighing, Robin jumped down from the tree. It was getting late; his father had been gone for at least half an hour. It was ok – Robin knew the forest well. He could easily get home from where he was. Well, maybe he would wait a little bit. He could do with some time away from his father. So he sat down on the grass, ignoring the odd feeling he felt in his gut. It was as if someone was watching him. Oh well, he thought. Probably nothing. There was nothing he couldn't handle in the forest…_

_BUMP!_

_Robin jolted awake, and rubbed his eyes tiredly. How long had he been asleep for? It was darker now, he had better be getting home. As he slowly stood up, Robin stopped, he was sure he had heard something. A crack, like twigs breaking. That same feeling came to him again, this time with a chill up his spine. "Hello?" He called out, a little nervously. _

_Suddenly, before he could even react, a hand grabbed his wrist and he found himself face to face with a tall man. He held Robin's wrist with a grip so tight, and the look on his face was murderous, his eyes blackened.  
"Who… who are you?" Robin stuttered, frozen to the spot. The man had squinty eyes, gleaming… they were emotionless and cold… like the determined line that was his lips. _

_"Ah, bird boy. Coeur's son. You're next in line to control the clan aren't you?" It was more of a rhetorical question, Robin decided not to answer. The man gripped the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer. "I don't think we need you around," The man growled. He was crazy, Robin was sure of it._

_"I… I need to go!" Robin stammered, struggling to get out of his grip._

_"Oh, you're not going anywhere." His voice was low and sent a shiver down Robin's spine. That was when Robin noticed the knife. It glinted in the moonlight, and the man followed his gaze and chuckled slightly. "I guess you've guessed what I'm planning to do…"_

_Robin panicked. He twisted and turned, shouting out as loud as he could, until his throat hurt, until – he felt the cold blade against his neck. "Make one more sound and it will all be over…" The man whispered, taking his free hand and holding Robin against the tree. There was no escape. Would anyone care if he was killed? What would they do when they found his body? What would his father think? What is death like? Frantic questions ran through Robin's head as he fought back the tears. Then he heard the sound that saved his life. _

_A gun shot._

_There he laid, the crazy man, clutching his leg in agony. "Father, Father!" Robin cried, the tears now streaming down his cheeks. Coeur De Noir stepped down from his horse, tucking the gun safely away. _

_"I could have killed you. But now you will live a miserable existence in our dungeons, and you will never feel freedom again." Coeur bellowed, watching as his men hurried over and pulled the crazed man to his feet. Then for the first time in forever, he pulled Robin into a rough, quick, hug. "Stupid boy, never stay out in the forest this late!" He grumbled, but deep down behind all the sternness, there was love._


	7. Chapter 7

**~Chapter 7 – The servants quarters~**

**(Maria's POV)**

Sunlight streamed through the barred window, and Maria automatically covered her eyes with her arm, not wanting to open her eyes. She had been in a deep sleep, but she couldn't remember dreaming. And oh, how uncomfortable her bed was! She didn't remember it being so cold and hard.

And then she remembered where she was and what had happened and she felt her heart miss a beat in horror as she glanced around and realised that she was well and truly trapped. Just yesterday she had been considering the fact that life in the countryside may not be that bad and now she was in a dungeon, kidnapped by a family she knew nothing about. She could only hope that Uncle Benjamin had summoned the police and was looking for her, and that Miss Heliotrope hadn't fainted, it didn't do her nerves any good.

"Rise and shine, Princess!"

_Oh no. _Maria knew that arrogant voice. She looked up to see Robin standing by the barred door, that stupid smirk still on his face. She felt a little relief however at seeing a person- she had slept terribly. It was almost as if she was constantly being watched from the corners of her cell, and the feeling made the hairs on the back of her neck stand up.

"We have a lot to do today, so come on." He was getting impatient now, watching as she got to her feet slowly and timidly walked towards him, her arms tightly folded and her gaze glued to the stone floor. They were silent as they left the dungeons and climbed the stairs where Robin's friends awaited. _Be brave, Maria. _A tiny voice whispered in her head, and she took a deep breath.

"So, what's for breakfast? Crow meat? The head of your latest prisoner?" Maria grumbled, as Robin pushed her down the hallway towards the big doors that lead to the dining room. He didn't reply but shoved her slightly.

The dining hall was busy with people as it had been the night before. Servants bustled around, collecting plates and laying out new food. The De Noir clan all ate hungrily, chatting to each other loudly. When the door clicked shut they all went silent and looked up.

"Oh hello Princess. So good of you to join us!" That familiar voice boomed. Maria cringed, remembering her conversation with Coeur the night before. They walked past the table until they reached the seats near the head of the table where Coeur sat, a goblet of wine in his large hands. _Ugh._ _Who drinks wine for breakfast?_ She sat down on the hard seat and grimaced when Robin sat down next to her. "Now I hope you're grateful that we are kind enough to let you eat with us. I don't want any hassle from you." Coeur told her.

They weren't short of food, and that was for sure. The long table was laid with plate after plate of everything. There were toasted croissants on a silver platter, porridge dotted with raisins in a huge bowl, fresh sausages at one end of the table, eggs in little silver holders and another plate that held a gigantic golden omelette. Maria sat there, bewildered by the decision of what to choose. Back in Moonacre they never had so much food… mind you there were only a few people living there whilst there were about twenty in this very room!

Robin looked over at Maria, who was eyeing the food nervously. "It's not poisoned, you know." He said dryly, and she glanced at him before taking a croissant and finishing it quickly. "Princess, you're going to need more than that. We've got a lot to do today!" She looked at him again, her face stony as she took a slice of omelette. It wasn't bad… she reckoned it would have been made better if the cook in Moonacre made it. It was filling though, at least.

"Excuse me, Miss." A young girl, no more than 10, was stood behind her. Maria turned around slightly in her seat to face the little girl. She was small, with blonde hair that was almost white. It reached her waist and was tied in two plaits, with red ribbons. She looked at Maria with her big blue eyes. "Your plate, Miss." She squeaked. Maria turned to get her plate, and the little girl reached to get it too. She jumped backwards, a terrified look on her face. "I'm so sorry miss,"

"No, don't be sorry," Maria said softly, and the servant girl relaxed. She wore a brown dress that almost reached her ankles, with a white apron over the top. It didn't look very comfortable, but the girl seemed to be used to it. She gave a shy smile at Maria before hurrying off with the plate. Maria sighed as she watched her. They had servant families. Of course it was normal to have help, especially in a castle this large. But there was no need for the children to work, maids did not usually go into service until they were into their teenage years. Her thoughts were interrupted as she flinched when Robin nudged her to get up.

"Robin, I expect you are going to take our princess here to the place she shall work from now on?" Coeur asked. Robin nodded quickly, and left the room with his group of friends herding Maria.

"Where are we going?" She asked him, slightly nervous. She had to work? Robin ignored her again, his grip tight on her arm. It was his friend opposite her who answered her question.

"To the servants' quarters." He said. Maria looked at him, she remembered him from the forest. His black, floppy hair and tanned skin… he was quite good looking she had to admit, but banished the thought immediately. What kind of lady admires the looks of her kidnappers? Well, no lady would have gotten herself kidnapped in the first place, Maria thought. A cough brought her out of her daydream and she realised with a blush that she had been staring at the boy. He smiled at her slightly, his blue eyes sparkling. That was something she had never seen before. A person with blue eyes and black hair. To be honest, it looked nice on him. "I'm Isaac by the way."

"Shut up and stop flirting, Isaac." Robin grumbled. Maria giggled a little but stopped herself, remind herself what situation she was currently trapped in.

"He was just being friendly." Maria stated, and Robin rolled his eyes and pushed her on. Isaac had been the only one other than Robin to speak to her. The others looked at her like dirt, just like Robin did. It was nice for a change, to find someone who wasn't an arrogant idiot.

As they carried on throughout the castle, Maria noticed how that even at dawn, when it was bright and the sun shone, it was still dark. How could anyone live like this? And how did Robin find his way through the castle anyway? It seemed like a maze to her, just like the forest. They passed people, all whom spat at her or yelled insults. Stupid De Noirs. Maria kept her head held high and ignored them, earning an interested glance from Robin.

Finally they arrived in a different part of the castle. It seemed even gloomier here. There were no paintings or decorations, just plain walls. There weren't any rugs or soft armchairs, as she had seen before in the castle. "Right. You'll be working here, 4 hours a day. When you aren't, you shall stay in your cell except for meal times." Robin informed her. Maria looked at him, horrified.

"I shall have you know, I am no servant!" She gasped. Robin ignored her _again_.

"Rose!" he called. A middle aged woman scurried out into the dim hallway. Her light brown hair was tied in a messy brown bun and she wore similar clothes to the little girl Maria had seen earlier.

"Everything alright, master Robin?" She asked. She seemed quite confident, even thought she was speaking to the arrogant De Noir boy.

"Here is the Moon Princess for you. She will be working here, six hours a day. Get her some clothes and explain to her what she will be doing." He explained. Rose came forward and took Maria by the hand, smiling gently. Her hands were rough and worn, and Maria prayed the same thing wouldn't happen to her. She was proud of her flawless skin. They were lead into a little room, where Rose began to rummage through a wardrobe. She pulled out the same dress as her, but a few sizes smaller.

"Here me' darling. This should fit ya'." Rose handed her the dress. "Now, how 'bout we get to work, Master De Noir won't be 'appy if we don't get it done!" Maria narrowed her eyes, trying her best to understand the slightly unsophisticated accent that the cheerful woman had. How could she be so chipper in a place like this? Everyone else was miserable.

"…What'll happen if we don't get enough work done?" Maria asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"He'll get out his whip." Isaac answered for Rose. There was silence for a second as this registered in Maria's mind and her mouth dropped open in a very un-lady-like way. Then Rose tutted and swatted at Isaac with a dishcloth she was holding. "I'm only joking, that thing is only for the horses." Isaac backtracked, grinning as Maria's cheeks flushed.

Rose laughed, little lines forming by her brown eyes.

"Come on then lil' un. We'll start with washin' the floors." Rose gently took Maria to another cupboard, and brought out a bucket and cloth. The boys left, sniggering to each other. "Oh don't mind them, me love. Mister Robin seems like a nasty piece of work but he's a real ol' softie deep down." Rose assured, noticing the self-conscious look on the girl's face. But it wasn't how the boys made fun of her that worried her. It was the fact that she would now be cleaning for kidnappers. Before she had the dignity of feeling like she was in a higher position but now… now she was working for them.


	8. Chapter 8

**~Chapter 8 - Dinner~**

Maria stretched, feeling relief temporarily as the cramps in her muscles eased away. Yawning she sat up, blinking as rays of sunlight poured through the grates in the tiny window at the top of the furthest wall. At least they had given her a room with a window of sorts, she decided, and sighed as she heard Robin whistling as he rounded the corner to her cell. She wasn't sure she could face him today, she had spent half of the night crying quietly in the corner, plagued by whispers that she couldn't stop, strange hissing sounds and little movements that she couldn't source. She was terrified and missing home terribly, and though he didn't know this, he could probably work it out from her puffy eyes.

"Back to work today, Princess!" Robin called, unlocking the gate and swinging it open. Maria rose to her feet and followed him out, hoping she would at least get some breakfast first. "What, not clinging to the banisters?" He teased, his smirk fading when she did not reply. Looking back he noticed her eyes were red rimmed and framed with dark shadows, but he would not feel sorry for her. She was a Merryweather, the cause of all the anger in his household. Despite her tragic expression she kept her head high and Robin had to admit this impressed her a little. He really should take his own advice, he thought as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He was too quick to judge.

The dining hall was quieter this morning. The table was still stacked with food, this time with plates of different types of fish mostly. Maria timidly helped herself to some of the omelette and toast as she sat on the edge of her seat. Robin had filled his plate high with food and the man who sat next to her was sitting uncomfortably close and it was starting to make her uneasy.

"Your Uncle paid a visit earlier." Coeur suddenly announced to her, as if it was just something he thought she might like to know. "He threatened to come back with villagers if I happened to have you in my possession. Of course I assured him that you were nowhere near the De Noir grounds and that we weren't even aware he had a niece. I don't believe he bought it, but the poor man does not have much of an army." Coeur chuckled, meeting Maria's horrified gaze. What if Benjamin had given up?! He might still be in the forest! She couldn't stand being trapped in this horrible place any longer. Feeling a surge of energy Maria dropped her cutlery in such a way that Miss Heliotrope would be ashamed, and darted from her seat. "After her, Robin." Coeur sighed, he knew she wouldn't get far.

Robin caught up in a matter of seconds, outside the dining hall. He was taller and a faster runner, really Maria scolded herself for being so rash. Of course he would catch her. He grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back gently, watching as she collapsed against the wall, her eyes closed. "Don't even bother, Princess." He muttered, noticing how she flinched at his voice.

The rest of the day passed relatively slowly for Robin. He had been ordered into the forest with his boys to collect any last animals from the traps before the light went and currently they had found a hare and nothing else. It was quiet, the trees were still and there were no signs of life around. Robin's friends weren't being loud surprisingly and it was times like these that he missed Jacob and Louis. They were twins, more French than anyone Robin knew. (A few of the De Noirs spoke French, but that part of their ancestry was long gone) Now these twins were the party of any gathering. They were loud and often rude but they were hilarious and they loved to play jokes on people. They had even made Coeur De Noir crack a smile at something that wasn't related to death or owning the entirety of Moonacre Valley. It wasn't such a chore to collect firewood or the day's trappings when the twins were around, and Robin considered them to be two of his two best friends.

Until one day, Jacob got sick. He got very, very sick. The village doctors claimed to have no idea what it was and the chosen doctor for the De Noirs agreed, they did not know what to do. Jacob's soul had been sucked out of him. His healthy figure was gaunt and his cheeks hollow, and he stared at the ceiling for weeks until the day he died. There was nothing left of him when he took his final breath and it crushed Louis. He fell into an inconsolable state of depression for months and had since withdrawn into the castle, avoiding his friends and preferring to spend his time in the observatory, watching the skies instead of making contact with humans.

That's what this curse had done to the De Noir clan. It had ripped them apart from the inside. But once the 5000th moon had risen it would all be over, and the Valley would be theirs. People would be happy again. Of course, Robin knew that there was something else at play. The curse said nothing about mysterious deaths. Jacob was not the first.

Robin wondered what would happen to the Moon Princess after this moon had risen. There wasn't long now, it was all his father spoke about. He had not made any plans for her however, but Robin knew that they wouldn't be nice any way. Perhaps he'd throw her out into the darkest parts of the forest to fend for herself or keep her as a servant. Perhaps he'd even have her killed. He shuddered at this. Although he hated her with all his heart, there was something about her- something that made him feel like she didn't deserve to die. Perhaps it was that innocent expression of hers.

Isaac sure liked her. He had mentioned quite a few times how he had thought of the princess as very pretty… he had also said some other things that Robin quickly banished from his mind. Maria thought he treated women badly… she didn't know Isaac. Of course Robin cared for Isaac, even though he constantly put him down. Isaac had been his friend for many, many years. He would listen to Robin when he needed to talk about things, and he was overall a great friend. To be honest, Robin preferred Paul. He was more sensitive and often stuck up for Robin when his father went mad… which got him into trouble too. Paul was the shortest out of the lot, and the youngest. He was sixteen, a year older than the Moon Princess. He was also shorter than her! But Paul was the funniest, he always cracked jokes randomly, and most of the De Noir girls adored him because he was "cute", with his twinkling blue eyes, spiky brown hair and freckles that dusted his whole face. He was almost like an elf.

"Oi, Robin." Robin awoke from his thoughts as he heard Joseph jogging through the fallen leaves to catch up with him. "Fancy some? The boys are having a bit of a laugh back there and I thought you looked quite lonely." He held up a bottle of rum, newly opened. Glancing back at Paul and Isaac he noticed that they each had a bottle and had almost finished them. They were stumbling about everywhere and roaring with laughter.

"Would you look at that, you've corrupted the elf." Robin smirked, watching as Paul jumped on Isaac's back and promptly fell off, landing with a thump on the muddy ground. Joseph chuckled and Robin took the bottle, taking a long swig. This was the best stuff they could get in the village, imported from Latin America, and it had a devastating effect on Paul especially, who wasn't especially good at holding his drink.

Dinner was chaos. Robin was surprised the princess didn't try to run away again, he could barely walk in a straight line. Isaac had to keep Paul and Joseph in line; being the best at sobering up he had to constantly pull Joseph away from the poor girl- he was desperate for a kiss. Maria walked calmly with them, slightly disgusted at their state. A lady should never be exposed to such drunken behaviours, Miss Heliotrope had insisted at one of her father's parties in London.

Her mood wasn't suffering too badly, however. Whilst in the kitchen she had taken her revenge on the De Noirs. A lady must never retaliate either, but Maria felt as if this was an exception, she had been kidnapped after all.

The dining hall was busy tonight. Maria helped herself to the food she knew was safe (not much really), and settled with a plate of turkey and potato. She watched all around her as the De Noirs filled their plates unknowingly and settled down to eat. The air was filled with the hum of conversation and the odd bellow of laughter until one by one, people started to question their food choices.

"My, the soup is spicy tonight." One lady muttered, pushing her bowl away and opting to chug a glass of water, which was immediately snatched away by the man next to her who attempted to quench the flames engulfing tongue. An elderly man at the end of the table cried out in disgust at the vegetables, his face screwed up as he chewed. Coeur happened to pick the mint sauce, which was not a clever move.

"What is the meaning of this?" He cried out, his face reddening in anger as he gulped down his wine to get rid of the overwhelmingly disgusting taste in his mouth. All around him people were grumbling and some even yelling as the spicy soup became too much for them. Coeur's eyes scanned the room, until they landed on Maria, who sat innocently in her seat. She was not reacting to anything. "I have been kind enough to let you dine with us and this the way you act… Robin, take her to her cell." He commanded in a low voice, dangerously close to losing his temper. Maria stared up at him defiantly, though her hands were shaking slightly.

"Father, c'mon." Robin slurred. "I haven't even finished my dinner!" Paul burst out laughing beside him, forgetting that his tongue was burning uncontrollably.

"Then you will eat with her in the dungeons from now on. Go!" Coeur replied, his fist slamming down on the table. Rolling his eyes Robin stood, yanked Maria up by her arm and grabbed his own plate. He managed to manoeuvre himself out of the dining hall and glared at the princess' back the entire journey.

It was uncomfortably silent in the dungeon. Robin sat on the adjacent wall surprisingly, Maria had not expected him to stay. She concluded that it was down to his slightly drunk state, though he seemed to be doing fine as he wolfed down his meal.

Maria was missing Miss Heliotrope terribly. The governess had cared for her all her life from the day her mother died and even before then. She was irritating and often had terrible indigestion but she was the only person Maria had left and currently the older woman would be beside herself with worry. She couldn't believe she had been stupid enough to do this to her. She should have listened to her Uncle and stayed out of the forest, she shouldn't have tried to rescue the rabbit.

Her mother had told her she had a kind nature. Mrs Merryweather died when Maria was but five, of a terrible illness that no one knew. She was at first only tired all the time, yet she still made the effort to dress her daughter up and tell her that kindness must rule above all other values. As she got sicker she stayed in her room, and Maria found herself spending more and more time with Miss Heliotrope. By the time she had died, Maria could barely remember what her mother was like.

"A penny for your thoughts." Maria looked up, startled. Robin had spoken to her, and not in order to insult her. He was staring at his food as he ate, his eyes never meeting hers.

She was unsure of what to say at first, wary of the boy. "My mother," She finally admitted. Robin swallowed and looked up at her, staring for quite a while.

"The woman in the carriage? She looks nothing like you." He said. Sighing, Maria remembered back to a few days ago, when Robin and his group of friends tried to attack her carriage as she arrived at the Manor's entrance. At least now she knew their motives.

"That is my governess, Miss Heliotrope. My mother died many years ago." She told him, holding his gaze steadily. His eyebrows shot up and his fork stopped halfway to his mouth as the information registered with him. _Ah, now things were starting to make sense. _Desperately he tried to feel nothing but he couldn't help it, a strong sense of empathy overwhelmed him.

Sighing, he put his fork down. "I'm sorry to hear that, Princess." He said, and Maria frowned in shock. Had he just apologised? This was absurd! "My mother died giving birth to me." He muttered, almost unsurprised at the fact that he was revealing this to her. He was drunk after all, and most people avoided the subject of his mother.

"She must have been beautiful, she looked like a princess in the portrait." Maria said. She smiled an honest smile and he had to look away. She'd noticed the painting, then. She was beautiful, his mother. That was what initially attracted his father.

"I wouldn't say she was princess material." Robin stated, frowning slightly at the ground. He had come to terms with his mother's… situation, but often he believed it was the reason she died. His father of course blamed him. The princess was watching him with curious eyes and he felt the need to explain. "She was… she was a prostitute. Nothing 'princess' about her. My father fell in love with her and they married."

"Oh." Maria replied, feeling slightly uncomfortable. How was one supposed to reply to this? "I'm sure she was a lovely woman anyway."

Robin laughed out loud, once again making Maria frown as she wondered why. "Why are you being kind, princess? You're a prisoner." He questioned.

"Because you were right." Maria answered, and he looked at her, his head slightly cocked as he waited for her to go on. "You said I should not be so quick to judge. I never knew your mother, but I will not judge her from what I know about the rest of your family. And you should do the same too. Whatever business happened between my Uncle and your father should not be fought using us."

As she spoke, Robin watched her with interest. She was quite wise, he realised. However, she did not seem to realise the importance of this curse, or that it involved their families and not just the two men. "Princess you are mistaken. You are here because you are the key to removing this curse, and my family does not want that. Because your family has the pearls they now have no power over us as we have you, and when the 5000th moon rises the valley will be ours. You have been involved in this feud a lot longer than you remember." He informed her.

Instead of objecting the story about the pearls, Maria questioned him about the last part of what he had said. "I've been involved in this feud longer than I remember?" She asked.

"Of course. Your father ran away from Moonacre to London. My father visited London in his younger years for business and trading deals and often brought me along. Your family did throw some wonderful balls." He smirked at the last sentence, amused as her eyes grew wide in realisation.

She had met him before, a long time ago. He was right, her father did throw good parties. She was too young to enjoy them properly and often settled for reading or twirling about the ballroom, pretending to be one of the elegant ladies. One time she was not so elegant and crashed into a young boy dressed in leather, his hair a mass of curls. "Robin, my lady," He had said, kissing her hand like a true gentleman. She had asked him who he had accompanied and he had replied that his father was an old acquaintance of her's. Later that night her father had approached her and asked who she had been talking to, and when she replied with the boy's name his expression slackened almost as if he was paralyzed, but he said no more on the issue. Maria almost felt sick at the realisation. The curse was present everywhere, it seemed.

"I'm not sure I can handle much more of this." Maria muttered to herself, bringing her knees up to her chest and hugging them. Robin laughed and stood up unsteadily, his plate in one hand. He turned to go and stumbled, his hand scraping against the wall.

"Bloody hell." He muttered, glaring at the back of his hand where a graze now irritated the cut that was originally there.

"I'm no expert but I believe you should clean that." Maria said in a matter-of-fact tone, standing up. He watched her in confusion as she made her way over to him, took out a handkerchief from a skirt pocket and dabbed delicately at his hand, removing the dust that had come from the wall. In honesty she did not know why she was doing this too. Despite being her kidnapper, tonight he was now the only person next to Rose who had talked to her like a person. Robin on the other hand was now inwardly kicking himself. In his slightly drunk state (although he had to admit to himself it was not much of an excuse) he had shown her another side of him and in doing so had broken the cold barrier that had allowed him to hate her. The saying went something like 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' as far as he could recall. But that attitude went nowhere, especially when the closeness develops into something else, and especially when it ripped your family apart. "Oh!" Maria had gasped, and he flinched and yanked his hand away from her. "I did that to you." She said quietly, taking his wrist and examining jagged scar that decorated the back of his hand.

He nodded awkwardly. "I could do with one of those needles." He joked, and inwardly kicked himself again. She smiled at him, but he couldn't look at her, he couldn't let down this barrier. She was a Moon Princess and even worse, a Merryweather. His initial disgust returned and he knew she could tell from his expression. Her eyes were wide as she stared at him in confusion, and he realised she was still holding his wrist. "Don't touch me." He snarled, wrenching his arm away from her. She gasped and stepped away from him quickly, her confusion quickly turning to fear.

"Good night then," Maria murmured quietly, whilst he avoided her gaze. Gathering himself he unlocked the cell door and stepped outside, hurrying to re-lock it so he could get as far away from her as possible. Striding towards the guards he handed over the keys, only stopping momentarily because he realised he could hear her crying.


	9. Chapter 9

**~Chapter 9 - Rose~**

The next morning passed and Robin was back again, this time bringing food to Maria. Their meal times were quite awkward, he was silent and she often caught him somewhat glaring at her, and it made her self-conscious. She pushed her tray away, only half full. Lunch had been soup with a roll, but the soup was watery and the dry bread just made her gag.  
"You shouldn't waste food, Princess, I thought you would know that." Robin stated, gobbling his meal almost like a pig. Maria cringed, watching him.

"You shouldn't eat like an animal Robin, I thought you would know _that_." For a moment, she could have sworn that he looked amused. But the dull look returned as soon as it left. It was the first time he'd spoken to her that day. Once he had finished, he stood up and handed her his tray. She rolled her eyes, automatically knowing what she had to do. It was time for work with Rose, as it was every day for six hours. She followed him to the kitchens, and got straight to work on washing up, as she had already changed before lunch.

As she scrubbed at the bowl, she felt as if she was being watched. Maria turned around self-consciously, and she jumped slightly when she saw Robin leaning against the doorway, watching her with his dark eyes. He smirked, realizing he had scared her. "What's the matter Princess, can't work under pressure?"

"No, I just didn't expect you to waste your time over here. Thought you'd be out catching fairies for your _beloved_ father." She replied, turning back to dry the bowl. He chuckled under his breath, both insulted and amused. "Anyway, why are you here?"

Robin was silent for a while before answering. "I just find you so strange…. You're different." It sounded slightly insulting, but his tone was soft and genuine with only a hint of dislike, and she stopped for a moment, not sure how to reply. She didn't have to.

"Mornin' Robin, Mornin' Princess!" Rose sang cheerfully as she bustled into the room, her arms stacked with plates. Robin nodded at her curtly, before turning to leave.

"You should make her wash all the dishes – she didn't half waste her food today. Moon Princesses- they're all the same." He said to Rose, smirking to himself.

Well then. Just when she thought there was a nicer side to Robin, he goes and does that. Rose shook her head, laughing and patted Robin on the back as he turned to leave. "He's always been a cheeky little so n' so." She chuckled, placing the plates on the counter. The two worked quietly for a while, enjoying each other's company. Maria quite liked spending time with Rose, the old woman was wise and motherly, something she needed in the absence of Miss Heliotrope. She had confided in her about her fears of the dungeons and her homesickness and her worries for her family. Work also meant she had a chance to freshen up and change clothes, which she greatly appreciated. Hygiene was of great importance to any lady, be her a city or countryside woman. But one thing niggled in the back of her mind. Finally she decided to break the silence.

"Rose… how come you're so…close to Robin? I don't mean to be rude but he is the heir to the De Noir clan and you're…" Rose chuckled at this, and her kind face warmed and she smiled as if she was remembering something.

"I owe me life to Master Coeur, lil' un." She said, taking a wooden stool and sitting down by the fire place. Maria brought some dishes to dry with the tea towel and sat at her feet on the rug, waiting for the woman to continue. "It were winter, sixteen years ago…."

Flashback

_The cold wind harshly whipped against the woman, and she huddled into her blanket to keep warm. "We'll be alright," She whispered to the new born baby who lay in her arms. His wispy hair ruffled slightly with the wind and his soft cheeks were flushed with the cold. He blinked his blue eyes at her and squeaked a little. She had to find shelter. But it was almost impossible._

_The trees were blackened and some were reduced to cinders, which stained the foot deep snow brown. Ugly shadowy shapes floated across the land, twirling around and sucking the life out of everything they came across. The houses were burnt down and this once pretty village of Moonacre was now nothing. She could hear them. They hissed and whispered every time they flew past, tormenting her, waiting for her to go completely mad before they took her and her baby's life. The shadows. That's what they were called. They took her mother. And her darling daughter and husband._

_How she missed him, her beloved Paul. He was everything to her, her true love. His dark hair, shining eyes and handsome face. He was gone now. She was alone, and she was going to die, along with her little baby. Her life had been perfect, a lovely little family. She helped Paul on his Doctors rounds, they managed just fine. Couldn't someone help her? Couldn't have Sir Benjamin done something? No. He had been moping in his manor for the past few years. Sir De Noir wouldn't help anyone. He wanted the valley to go to ruins and die with the curse…then it would all be his. _

_In the distance she could hear the methodical trotting of horses' hooves. Whoever it was, they were coming closer. She decided to stay put; it could be the shadows playing tricks on her. _

_Soon a gorgeous black stallion came into view, followed by three others. A large man dismounted the horse and took off his cape, revealing black hair. It was Coeur. He surveyed the area for a while, his men doing the same._

_"Such a shame, really." He grumbled, not much sympathy in his voice at all. "They provided us with good wares. We shall help rebuild the town- so send out some men to go and find the villagers." After a few more minutes he turned to get back onto his horse again, and that was when he noticed a tartan blanket wrapped around a shivering shape. He squinted, trying to make out who it was but to no avail. "Show yourself!" He ordered.  
She gulped quietly and uncovered her face, nervously awaiting the man's reaction._

_ Coeur frowned and strode over to the woman. She was huddled by a blackened tree, and seemed to be cradling something under the blanket. Her face was ever so slightly blue from the cold, and she looked sick. He felt pangs in his chest. She looked like Lady De Noir on her death bed. He couldn't stand it. So he did something he never had ever imagined doing._

_He offered a home in his castle._

_"What is your name, girl?" He asked, offering a hand to help her up. She didn't take it and stayed cradling something._

_"Rose." She whispered._

_"Well Rose, if you don't take this offer then you'll surely die out here. Are you coming or not?" He was getting slightly frustrated. Rose nodded weakly, and attempted to stand up. The blanket fell off to reveal a week old baby in her arms. Coeur's eyes widened and he stood there speechless. "Why didn't you mention you had a child?" He barked, taking her arm and dragging her to the horses._

_Rose shrunk away. She would have taken up the offer to live in his castle if it meant she would live, but she knew it would mean she would be a servant…and her son would be too. He didn't deserve a life like that. Reluctantly she followed him and rode with him back to the castle, tears running down her cheeks. Her poor little boy._

_The castle was gloomier than ever, everything that had once represented happiness had been taken down. Life at the De Noir castle had almost grinded to a halt since the death of Lady De Noir. Coeur sat her down by the fire place and handed her a bowl of hot soup. Rose sipped it gratefully, but the whole time her eyes were on her baby who was in the arms of one of the servants. "Now, Rose. Here is the deal. You work for us," Coeur gestured towards the little group of servants, who awaited his next order. "And we look after you. And when your boy gets old enough- he will join you."_

_A little sob escaped from Rose's mouth, and she told herself not to cry. "I am very grateful for this Sir, but my son… please." _

_But there was nothing she could do, and she watched helplessly as her son was taken away to be cared for but the nurse maids with Coeur's year old son, Robin._


	10. Chapter 10

**~Chapter 10 - Caught~**

The next day, Rose took Robin aside. "Now Master Robin I ain't one to tell you what to do." She said, busy drying a dish.

"You're right about that." Robin retorted, and she hit him gently with her dishrag as he smirked.

"But I believe it would be ever so kind of you to give the dear girl a blanket, she's sleeping on straw and she's scared, and you're a gentleman, ain't you." She informed him, and left to get on with the work.

Later that day Maria was surprised when instead of escorting her directly to the dungeons, he seemed to take a different route. They climbed various flights of stairs and walked down corridors until they reached a door at the beginning of what seemed like a wing of bedrooms. Robin entered and she followed him in, gazing in awe at what she came across. It was unlike anything else in the castle. The walls were a pale blue colour and the chandelier that hung above them reflected hundreds of little beams of light that cast rainbows across the room. Robin walked across to a wardrobe and started rummaging through drawers, whilst Maria found her way to a dressing table decorated with pretty little perfume bottles. "Oh Robin it's beautiful! Whose room is it?" She asked. Robin ignored her, pulling out what he was looking for. It was a lilac blanket. Maria was not relieved. To her, this was a revelation of how long they intended to keep her prisoner, clearly she was not leaving any time soon. "I want to go home." She said suddenly, her voice firm and unwavering. Robin turned to look at her, his eyebrows raised.

"I worked that out a while ago, Princess." He said.

"It's been four days. I want to go home." She said louder this time, her small fists balled and her cheeks reddening a little in her anger. Just a moment ago she had been amazed at this room, and now she felt the pangs of homesickness stronger than ever before.

"Who's there? Show yourself." Suddenly a voice rang out somewhere in the corridor, and Robin froze. He couldn't be caught with the Merryweather girl so far from the dungeons and even worse, they were in a bedroom. The princess would be offended at such suggestions but this was the De Noir clan he would be surprised if whoever had heard them wouldn't come to such a conclusion if he actually found them. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into a cupboard. She suddenly realised what was happening and clamped her mouth shut, but the anger was still clear in her eyes. The footsteps got closer and then circled around and left, quite slowly.

Maria let out a sigh of relief and moved to open the door but Robin pulled her back. "If he's a true De Noir, he won't leave until his suspicion is cleared." Robin hissed, and his grip around her arm tightened when the footsteps appeared again, quieter this time. It was quite awkward, the two of them, enemies, having to stand so close in the cramped cupboard. Maria blushed slightly, and shook her arm out of his grip.

Robin's dark eyes lit up and he smirked and turned around, so he was facing the back of the cupboard. He started pressing on each plank of wood, until he found one plank that made a clicking sound, and then the back of the cupboard slowly creaked open. Maria shielded her eyes from the sunlight that blinded her, and when her eyes had grown accustom to the light she squinted at the view. The back of the cupboard had hidden a secret door, which lead to a balcony that looked out over the other side of the forest.

"Oi!" A voice yelled, and the man began banging on the cupboard door. Robin jumped and ran out onto the balcony, grabbing Maria's hand and pulling her along. They rushed along the wall to a spiral staircase and began to run down it, with Maria every now and then stumbling because of the speed that they were going. They must have been quite high up because Maria could see the Merryweather mansion's rooftops and towers. The view was brilliant, especially as the sun was beginning to set and the red, orange and yellow colours were melting into the pink sky.

They reached the ground and ran for the gardens, where they would be hidden by the massive bushes. Robin flopped down onto one of the crumbling grey stone benches, and Maria sat down too, panting in exhaustion. Her eyes were darting around for an exit but she could see nowhere to run except to a gate back by the castle, a gate that happened to be closed and most likely locked. "I need some answers." She breathed, trying to get her breath back. "Firstly, whose room was that?!"

Robin sighed and ran a hand through his messy curls. He took a moment before answering, and stared out at the pond ahead. "That room belonged to… my sister. Her name is Loveday." He began, his eyes saddening at the memory of his older sibling. "That's how I knew about the secret door…. She used to sneak out that way, to see… Hell, why am I telling you this stuff, Princess?!" He suddenly snapped, standing up and pacing back and forth.

Maria had expected this reaction, he seemed like he was constantly conflicted. But even so, she wanted answers and wanted him to carry on. "Who did she sneak out to see?" She asked quietly. Robin turned around to face her, a frustrated expression on his face.

"Benjamin Merryweather." He hissed, storming back over to her and placing his hands on her shoulders. "And do you know what that meant for her?! When my father found out… he banished her. Because she was in love with a bloody Merryweather. She lives in the forest, Princess. That was eleven years ago! Do you see what my father's like now?! He never wanted to see my sister again. That's how serious this curse is." He told her, and she pushed his hands away and stood up as well.

"How can you expect me to try and understand your forsaken family when you have me trapped in this place?" She snapped, throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.

"You don't bloody get it, Princess!" Robin cried, picking up a stone and hurling it as far as he could to let his anger out. It bounced on the water's surface twice, before sinking under.

Maria folded her arms, and turned to the frustrated boy. "You're right, I don't understand." She said simply.

Robin opened his mouth to reply, but a deep voice cut him off, and a short but large man stepped into the clearing that they were in. "What on _Earth_ do you think you are doing?!"


	11. Chapter 11

**~Chapter 11 - The Decision~**

_Robins POV_

_"I'll talk to you later."_ It was amazing how Coeur could make a simple sentence sound deadly. When he had said it Robin had just stared at him, his face cold, and no expression. He couldn't show any emotion in front of his dad, what good would that do? So he just kept to his story and didn't waver at all. Robin was walking towards the dining hall; he was to eat there tonight. As he came closer to the giant doors, Robin cringed slightly, was Coeur going to just embarrass him in front of everyone? Or will there be a giant shouting match, like usual? The guards opened the doors, nodding to him as he entered the room.

"Ah, nice of you to join us Robin. Take a seat." Coeur greeted, his eyes were cold and heartless but his voice was warm and loving. Robin sat in his usual seat, next to his father and opposite his mother's old seat. Nobody sat there anymore, Coeur wouldn't allow it. Although he had a different woman every week he still loved the late Lady De Noir and missed her dearly, though he hardly showed it.

Tonight they were eating turkey and roast beef, with potatoes and carrots. Taking his share, Robin then began to eat his dinner quietly. He stared at the plate, trying to not make eye contact with Isaac who kept looking up at him, confused. It was rather quiet and awkward, word had spread obviously. The doors opened again, and a stocky man with raven black hair entered, his stride full of confidence. He nodded at random people in the room and then took a seat next to Robin, nudging the boy in the ribs and winking. _Oh shit. _It was his cousin Daniel; he was slightly older than Robin and was quite respected, although he had a terrible habit of spilling secrets and mouthing o when he got even the slightest bit drunk.

"Why, hello there Robin!" He grinned, scooping a full ladle of gravy and pouring it all over his turkey. Robin nodded in response, chewing a mouthful.

"Robin, be polite to your cousin." Coeur said quietly but loudly. _Bloody hell, was he three or something?_ Robin had acknowledged him, hadn't he? Pushing his plate away and standing up, he scowled at his father and turned to leave, anger boiling inside. If he could get out, everything would be okay. "Where do you think you're going? To your… Princess?" His father's voice stopped him and he froze, and turned around slowly. Coeur was smirking, sipping from his glass of wine slowly.

"No, father. What would make you think that?" He said calmly, matching his gaze. Coeur chuckled and shook his head at his son.

"Mr De Noir, I think he's going to see his lover." Daniel cut in, his cheerful voice and London accent standing out in the hall of dark people. Coeur's eyebrows rose and he looked surprised but that quickly disappeared and he erupted into fits of laughter.

"Robin? A respectable woman of the De Noir clan courting our Robin?! Daniel my boy, where in Moonacre did you get that from?" Coeur laughed, rocking back and forth in his chair. There were a few nervous chuckles from other De Noirs, and Robin breathed slowly, trying to contain his anger and embarrassment.

Daniel laughed as well, and stood up, swigging from his bottle of beer before he began. Robin cringed internally, recognising the beginnings of one of Daniel's story-telling episodes. "Robin's a great lad, Sir! But you see, earlier today I was eturning to me room after visiting a certain Missus," Daniel paused to wink at a blushing woman at the table and took another swig. "And I was passing… his sister's old room. Nobody was up there, you see. I heard people talking. I thought I was outta my mind. So I called out to see if there was someone there, and I heard scuffling. Then I went in there, right, and I could hear our Robins voice in the cupboard! But by the time I got it open he'd disappeared, but they'd left this secret door open, y'see. It lead down towards the garden. I saw Robin running through the gardens with a young lady, but they were too far away for me to see _which_ lucky lady it was." Daniel finished his story and after giving a bow, he sat down and took a giant gulp from his glass.

Coeur's face was expressionless, a rather dangerous thing Robin had learnt. He did not know whether it was from the fact that Loveday had a secret exit from the castle or that Robin had been seen with a girl… and Coeur knew what girl it was. "So Robin, you've been spending some time with this… girl?" he growled, and the hall fell silent again.

"Aww Sir, the boy's old enough to stop messing around, there's nothing wrong with Robin courting! He's old enough now to handle the responsibility, ain't he!" Daniel said, but shut up quickly when Coeur gave him a warning glance.

"No father, I haven't been spending time with any girl. Daniel must've been mistaken, I wasn't up in the tower, I was taking the Princess back down to the dungeons." He stated, folding his arms and standing his ground.

Daniel shook his head, grinning stupidly. "Nah Rob, it was definitely you, saw your bowler hat and your curls!" He slurred.

"Perhaps, you took a detour, Robin, because if you were taking that Merryweather back to the dungeons then tell me, _why_ did I find you both in the gardens?" Coeur asked, his eyes gleaming wickedly. _Damn, he'd messed up there._ Robin was silent for a moment, considering possible answers. He was running out of them.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realise that the gardens were off limits." Robin replied, and then immediately regretted it. "Look, she wanted air so I let her outside. I would never let her escape." He rephrased.

Coeur took a deep breath, and stared at Robin's cold face as he thought. "She's trouble. Next week, we will have her killed." He stated, and the dining hall went silent. Then in a second, a massive cheer erupted. Although he hated to admit it to himself, Robin felt a cold chill of dread pass through his body.


	12. Chapter 12

**~Chapter 12 - Run~**

It was getting dark, and the only light in her cell was from a torch outside, its flames flickering and creating jumpy shadows on the stone walls. Maria felt quite lonely, without Robin to make small talk with. He hadn't stayed with her, after the incident with Coeur. That was a few hours ago, now. But the De Noirs did have big meals, and their dinners lasted for hours. Yet she couldn't help the feeling of dread that had settled in the pit of her stomach. This family was dangerous and not to be reckoned with, and she had gone and made Coeur de Noir angry.

They wanted her dead. Although she hated to admit that people could feel so horribly about her, it was obvious in the looks that people gave her as she passed through the halls. And she knew that if she ran away the people who lived just outside the de Noir castle would no doubt kill her. She'd never find her way in the forest. Why did everyone want her dead? The tears sprung to her eyes and she couldn't help it when a few rolled down her cheeks. She was proud but not to the extent that this would not affect her. She had been a prisoner for four days now and she had no idea what her Uncle Benjamin and Miss Heliotrope were doing. Were they searching frantically for her? Had they given up? Did her father know that she'd be sent to Moonacre as he was dying? The image of her father dying made Maria's stomach churn and she swallowed hard. Did he have any idea in heaven that his daughter had been kidnapped and she saw no escape? He can't have known this would happen. He probably had no idea that everyone hated her… well not everyone. Rose didn't hate her.

Rose. Everyone respected Rose. She was sort of a mother figure to Robin, Maria had noticed. Sixteen years ago she had come to this castle, rescued by Coeur. He had taken her day old son to be cared for with his own- a year old Robin. When the little boy was old enough, he would join his mother as a servant child. Rose didn't want this, not at all. She spent many nights crying, wondering where her little boy was. She was never allowed to see him, for fear that she would try to take him and run away.

Six years passed, and it was the harshest winter yet, with every piece of prey being skinny and weak, making it an easy catch but the meat was stringy and fed only a few. Outside, there was snow 3 feet high, and the guards and servants had been at work, creating pathways. It was also the winter after Loveday had been banished. Robin was now a young boy of seven, and her son would be six. She never saw him once, in the years she had worked for the De Noirs. Slowly she began to forget whether her son was real or whether she had imagined him. Deep down in her heart she knew he was out there though, and she wondered if he ever wondered about her.

It was that winter when a horrible disease broke out in the De Noir castle. Everyone fell to it, the servants, the guards, everyone. But the person who was struck the worst was Robin, who was now confined to his bed. Rose was well and healthy, as when she was in the village her husband had taught her how to keep herself healthy and build up a good immune system to fight illnesses.

Whilst she was tending to a sick servant she was called. A good friend of Coeur's who wasn't as badly affected, had come running to her and requested her help for Coeur's youngest, Robin. She had gone straight away, her loyalty to the clan had started to build up and as the widow of the village's resident doctor her skills were respected in the castle.

Coeur was waiting by his son's bed, his head in his hands. Rose entered nervously, and clicked the door shut, making him look up. "Ah, girl. I will grant you anything… If you cure my son." He said weakly. "I have just lost my precious daughter- I cannot lose another."

Rose couldn't believe her eyes. The almighty Coeur seemed to be crumbling before her, and for once she was in power. Robin lay on the bed, his eyes fluttering every couple of minutes as he coughed non-stop. His face was a deathly shade of white, and his lips were blue, even though he had many sheets covering him. "He cannot eat, he cannot drink. He either brings it all back up, or he won't even swallow it. This is worse than any flu this castle has been affected with," Coeur informed her, and left the room hastily.

It took weeks to cure them all. Being the widow of a doctor had its perks, Rose thought. She used the skills she had picked up and made soups out of herbs and spices which they all had to drink twice a day. She had a team of the healthiest men follow her out into the dark of the night to find a special flower. It was called the Astrid Quartz flower and only one was needed. It was special to Moonacre, and could be found only at night, when its buds opened up and shone out a soft, sparkling white light. They would spend hours looking for these flowers, as they were getting rarer as the Moon drew closer. They would collect these plants and Rose would use them in her recipes, as she knew they were hated by the Shadows, who probably brought the illness upon the castle. Only love could overcome the Shadows, and the Astrid Quartz flower was known for glowing a gorgeous pink colour when given to someone by their true love. When this happened it was called the Astrid Rhodochrosite flower, but nobody called it that name and just used the simplest form, the Astrid flower. Once they had found a lone plant Rose had the resident gardener take a specimen to the de Noir gardens, where he spent months growing another. He succeeded and there now stood a bush of the flowers far in the depths of the garden.

A month passed, and Robin fully recovered, the pink returned to his cheeks and his sparkling brown eyes were wide open and full of life again. Coeur couldn't thank Rose enough, and promised her the wish.  
She asked for her son to be treated as a De Noir, and not a servant. So from then on, Rose was the most respected servant for saving the life of Robin and many others, and her son who she still hadn't met, would be treated like a De Noir, and that meant he would have a good life.

"Maria!" The soft voice of Rose woke Maria out of her daydream-like state and she jumped a little. The woman was standing outside her cell, the keys in her hand. "Come quickly, you are needed in the kitchens." She whispered and hurriedly Maria rushed to the servant and followed her out of the dungeons.

Finally they got to the shabbier parts of the castle, the servants quarters. It was lit here, but there was nobody around. After all, it was almost midnight. They rounded a corner and then entered the kitchens, where Rose turned suddenly and grabbed her hands. "My dear girl you must leave now. Master de Noir… he is planning to have you killed." She revealed, her eyes wide and her grip tight. Maria felt her legs go weak at this information. She had suspected it from the start- she was no fool. But to hear it aloud was something different and the wave of nausea that washed over her was overwhelming. "Quickly!" Rose whispered, leading her to the pantry. Once inside she pointed to a window at the top of a stack of shelves. "You can get out through there and then follow the trail. Hurry princess, you don't have much time!" And with that she was gone, shutting the pantry door behind her and locking it.

Trail? What trail? Maria felt the panic set in as she began to climb, attempting to not knock pots and pans off the shelves. Once she reached the top she pushed the window hard and almost toppled out when it opened easily. There was just enough space for her to squeeze through and she peered down out onto the grounds. She was only one floor up yet the idea of falling scared her a little and she shook a little.

~~~Robin~~~

The de Noir boy watched as the moon princess slowly swung her legs through the window, her face a picture of fear. _This is the same girl who stabbed me with a needle, now afraid to fall one floor down._ He thought to himself bitterly, but sighed. She was much too innocent to die. And in fact she might have still been facing that fate if Rose hadn't convinced Robin to help her escape.

"Master Robin I need to have a word with you in private." Rose said firmly that evening as she stood by his door. Sighing, Robin beckoned her in and she closed the door behind her stiffly._ She must have heard about the Moon Princess' fate_. He thought, word travelled fast in the castle. Especially word regarding a certain curse and princess. "Your father wants her dead." She said simply and Robin just nodded, fiddling with his feathers as he stared down at the work he had laid out before him on his desk.

Realising he wasn't really listening, Rose stormed up to him. "Master Robin, your father wants to kill an innocent girl!" She repeated and this time he looked up. His expression was of frustration and his black-lined eyes were narrowed.

"And what of it?" He snapped. "She is a Merryweather and once she is gone the valley is ours."

"Master Robin you know that is not what will happen." Rose warned, her arms tightly folded across her apron. "We'll all die along with her. You have the chance to save this valley and put things right. Why would you let the poor girl die?"

Robin considered this for a moment, his shoulders slacking. He knew she was telling the truth. It had been somewhat evident to him ever since his sister had been banished that the whole de Noir clan was disillusioned by this curse. Loveday herself had been a moon princess, but she had kept it hidden from everyone but her little brother. "She… I… Rose, I cannot betray my clan. I am a de Noir and I…"

"And your heart is not black yet." She finished for him, her eyes sad. "If you change your mind, I will be in the servants' quarters." And with that, she was gone.

Robin sat there for a while, those words repeating over in his head. _Your heart is not black yet… _Perhaps she was right, but there were times he had thought it was. He was not good and he knew that, but something was telling him that he couldn't let her die. His own impression of her was also telling him this. She had been kind to him.

With that he stood up abruptly, his chair falling over behind him. He didn't pick it up and dashed after Rose, a plan forming in his head.

~~~Maria~~~

Ahead of her, Maria could see small objects glowing. Taking a deep breath she dropped from the window and stopping for a moment to check she was all in one piece she ran. The glowing objects were the flowers Rose had described, and she smiled slightly as she came upon one. It had pure white heart shaped petals and realising she should probably pick them up to avoid any trace of her escape, she collected them as she followed the trail that lead into the woods.

It was hard to see where she was going most of the time, and once or twice she tripped, resulting in a few cuts. But slowly her surroundings became less familiar as the flowers appeared less and less, until she stopped and took a good long look around.

She had no idea where she was.

Then her situation dawned on her, and she realised that if she didn't get home by sunrise then surely there would be De Noirs out to find her. She felt a sinking feeling in her stomach, as she realised that she could be anywhere, as far as she knew the forest was enormous. And the De Noirs knew every inch of it by heart. A rustling sound from her left distracted her from her thoughts, and she jumped, aware that there was something else nearby.

Maria squinted out into the dark, but the stars or the flowers she was clutching didn't provide very good light and she could only just make out the shapes of the trees. When the rustling sound came again, this time louder, she ran.

Only to once again crash into someone.

A/N: Thanks to the reviewer who pointed out that I had accidentally called Maria 'Adela' in previous chapters - I went through and fixed it all. That's because i previously wrote the story with an OC but then I changed my mind, so where I've rewritten some parts I've accidentally left in her name. :)


	13. Chapter 13

**~Chapter 13 - Loveday~**

Maria lost her footing and fell backwards onto the ground, making a pile of leaves beneath her flutter, and immediately tried to scramble away, expecting one of the de Noir's guards to be standing in front of her in the dark.

"Oh my Goodness, I'm so sorry!" A feminine voice gasped.

Frowning, Maria looked up to see the person pull down the hood of their cloak to reveal a beautiful face. She had high cheekbones and a strong jaw line, a straight nose and calm blue eyes which contrasted with her wild and curly light brown hair.

Feeling the shock and fear die down, Maria took the hand the woman was extending and stood up, and brushed her now muddy dress off. Then she gazed at the pile of glowing flowers now scattered on the ground below her for a second, deciding to leave them where they were. "Who on Earth are you?" Maria then asked, and then when she realised how rude that sounded she added a smile.

The older woman laughed kindly. "I'm Loveday, my dear. You must be Maria Merryweather."

Maria's mouth formed an 'o' at this information. Loveday as in Loveday de Noir? Robin's sister? And how did this strange woman know who she was? "Yes, niece of Sir Benjamin Merryweather." She added cautiously, staring at Loveday with suspicion. Loveday smiled warmly, and then took of her cloak and wrapped it around Maria's shoulders, revealing a plum coloured dress, which complimented her cream skin.

"It's freezing out here, I suggest we go inside. I will explain everything." Loveday said, taking Maria's arm and leading her towards a fairly large cave. Maria remembered to close her mouth this time as she gazed at the cave, wondering how on earth someone could live in such a thing. "First impressions shouldn't always count!" Loveday reminded her, smiling at Maria's expression.

Raising her eyebrows, Maria smiled and followed Loveday into the little tunnel in the cave. What Maria couldn't understand is why she lived there in the first place. Uncle Benjamin hadn't mentioned any people living literally _in_ the woods.

Once they were inside, Loveday ushered Maria onto a chair, and sat down as well. Inside, Maria had to admit it was quite nice. There were little lanterns hanging around amongst the few hanging plants, and it was clean and cosy.

"The forest is too dangerous for a girl like you to be out there at night…" Loveday muttered, shaking her head sadly. "Much too dangerous."

"Sorry?" Maria murmured, staring at Loveday through narrowed eyes.

"The shadows, dear. They're everywhere, Gosh if I hadn't found you…"

Maria felt her stomach go queasy. Loveday was not the first to talk about the shadows. Rose had told Maria of how the shadows had grown strong and destroyed her village, killing her family in the process, except her baby, who worked in the De Noir castle but didn't know his mother. At first she hadn't believed her, who would? There was a village in Moonacre; she had heard Benjamin talk about it. But what happened to Rose was years ago, so the village must have been rebuilt. They were silent for a while, both staring off into the distance.

"Why were you out in the forest if it is so dangerous?" Maria finally asked, her eyes drifting over the cosy home. It was full of little trinkets and a small hare was curled up by Loveday's seat.

Loveday looked saddened for a moment. "I was part of the plan to help you escape. There was no way you'd find your way back alone, and you can't be in there for too long at night… what with the curses and all." She explained, suddenly standing up and pouring a cup of tea on the small table that was next to her. Smiling, she handed it to Maria and then poured one for herself.

"I wish everyone would just stop talking about this darned curse!" Maria said brashly, covering her mouth in shock as soon as she realised she had spoken aloud. Hurrying to apologise Maria stopped when Loveday reached out and grasped her hand in a comforting way.

"Oh my dear, this valley has been plagued so long that it is all people know now." Loveday sighed. "But you're the Moon Princess, we all know it. Even I do, and I live in a _forest_. It's time things changed before it's too late."

Maria sighed, caressing the cover of the book with her finger. "I don't know what to do. I've heard all about these shadows and it just… seems so unreal." She replied, sinking into the chair.

"Yes, I can see how you would come to that conclusion…" Loveday muttered. She stood, beckoning for Maria to follow her over to a wood carved mirror. "The magic in Moonacre is very weak now, but it is still around." She paused. "Geraniums wither and die. The valley is in grave danger, my girl."

Suddenly the reflection of Maria and Loveday rippled and changed until it showed the valley from above, sleeping under a starless sky. The moon, frighteningly large, was approaching speedily and suddenly… it collided with the sea, causing a great flash and everything was crumbling. "Stop!" Maria cried, shuddering. It was too much pressure, there was no way she was supposed to stop this from happening!

"You saw something!" Loveday gasped, taking Maria by the shoulders and enveloping her in a hug. "I'm so sorry Maria, but I had to check." Maria hesitated before hugging the older woman back, feeling somewhat more relaxed after the horrifying scene in the mirror.

"What do I do?"

Loveday was silent for a while before she answered. "The curse won't be removed until a pure heart is heard. I believe you have to return the pearls to where they came from." Loveday explained, and Maria nodded, sitting back down. That would be the sea then, she thought. The girl from the story had received the pearls by the sea, so that must be where they had to go. Loveday nodded at this. "The Shadows were born when the feud reached its worst point, and a de Noir was killed. It was about 2000 moons ago. There was so much hatred and no love left, and they seemed to be a second curse. They take the life from your soul sometimes killing you. It makes them stronger. The victim is never themselves again if they survive, and the kindest thing to do is to let the victim die… the Shadows wreak havoc Maria, they must be stopped. They have been known to destroy whole villages before!" Loveday finished her explanation, and stared intently at Maria, who was sitting with her eyes wide.

"I don't know how to stop these shadows, Loveday. You have to help me!" Maria cried, standing up in her angst. Loveday watched her, smiling sadly.

"My dear, you must overpower them with _love_. Now, let's not talk anymore of these curses. How on earth were you kidnapped?"

Maria began explaining her whole story, the words rushing out of her mouth so quickly that when she had finished, she was out of breath. Loveday stood before her, a shocked expression over her face. She seemed to be taking everything in and registering it, but didn't say anything the whole way through. Then her face turned angry. It reminded Maria of Robin, the way the corners of her mouth turned down.

"You've been away from home far too long. I should take you back now, whilst my stone is still charged with sunlight." Loveday told her, holding out a hand for Maria to take. In the other she held a smooth, round, midnight blue stone that was glowing softly. She explained that it had the power to protect whoever was in its presence from the Shadows, using the warmth from the sun.

They left the warmth of the underground home, and Maria made sure to pick up one of the Astrid flowers as they passed the pile. She was now wrapped up in a maroon cloak and they trudged through the forest, relying on only the moonlight and Loveday's sense of direction to lead them back to the Merryweather Manor. "I know the forest like the back of my hand." Loveday had assured her, commenting that it was the same with her brother. "We practically grew up here… and it's my home now." She said, laughing dryly. Maria decided not to ask about Sir Benjamin.

"I must leave you now." Loveday suddenly said, as glowing yellow lights came into view. She hugged Maria tightly, before turning her in the right direction to the house. "Stay strong, Princess, you can do it." She whispered, and before Maria could even thank her, she was gone.

Shivering slightly, Maria set off at a quick pace towards the house, despite being exhausted. Nerves bubbled in her stomach at the thought of seeing Uncle Benjamin and Ms Heliotrope again. She had missed her Governess terribly. As the manor came into view, the nerves disappeared and were instead replaced with joy. All the lights seemed to be lit, and sitting on the porch, by the door was a sleeping figure.

Suddenly Maria was knocked to the ground, and had the unpleasant feeling of something licking her face. She opened her eyes to come face to face with none other than Wrolf, the massive black dog that she had thought of as scary when she first arrived. He bound away from her, barking excitedly. Maria got up and brushed herself off for the second time that night, and ran towards Uncle Benjamin, who was now stirring in the rocking chair.

He sat up straight suddenly, and his head whipped around, scanning the area. It took him a moment before he noticed her, standing a couple of meters away from him. "Maria?" He said quietly, standing up and squinting.  
"Hello, Uncle Benjamin." She replied, walking forwards.

"Maria!" He cried out, running forwards and engulfing her in a massive hug. His shout must have alerted Miss Heliotrope, as her figure appeared at the now opened door, silhouetted against the bright light coming from inside.

"Oh my!" She cried, lifting her skirts so she could run and give the girl a hug too. Digweed followed after, and bowed politely, although his eyes were brimming with tears at the obvious delight of Benjamin and Ms Heliotrope. The older woman was sobbing now, holding onto Maria as if she'd never let her go. Tears formed in the princess' eyes and trickled down her cheeks as Benjamin stood to the side, his head slightly bowed.

Miss Heliotrope pulled away, staring Maria up and down. "Oh dear me, you're filthy! Come inside, come inside! We must get you bathed and changed and fed," She babbled, taking Maria by the arm and rushing her inside, where she was greeted by a rather small man with a slight moustache, wearing an odd hat.

Miss Heliotrope took her upstairs and began fussing around, preparing a bath and some clean clothes. Maria sat down on her bed, looking around at the room. She had been gone four days. And although she had only spent one day and night in the manor, with Miss Heliotrope fussing about, and Uncle Benjamin telling her how worried he was (He decided he would save the scolding for the morning) and Digweed asking how he could help, Maria felt like she was finally home.


	14. Chapter 14

**~Chapter 14 - Market Day~**

"Good Morning, Miss!" Digweed greeted, placing a tray of warm croissants on the dining table. Maria grinned in appreciation, eating everything she could get her hands on. Miss Heliotrope watched in obvious disdain at the girl's terrible manners, but she adored her too much to say anything at that precise moment.

"Morning Digweed!" Maria said, grinning as he buttered a croissant for her and placed it on her already full plate. She had taken a little of everything on offer- a sunny-side-up, a warm and buttered croissant, a small bowl of steaming hot mushroom soup, some French toast, a slice of cheese and a glass of milk and a little plate of warm cookies.

"My Goodness girl, how can you manage to eat all of that?" Benjamin commented, raising his eyebrows at her. She smiled at him and swallowed before replying.

"I have a lot to do today, so I'll need some energy. I think… I think I'm going to go to the village today." Maria told him, her eyes falling on the French doors at the end of the room which lead to the garden. "And I'm going to pick some flowers… may I please do that?"

Benjamin chewed on his French bread, deep in thought. "Very well Maria, I will come with you to the village. We must be extra careful after…" Benjamin trailed off, clearing his throat uncomfortably. Now Benjamin knew what had happened, there had been a permanent line between his eyebrows and sometimes he'd stare angrily into the distance, not noticing when someone called his name. Maria had been back at the manor for a few days now, and she couldn't be more thankful for the family she had around her – even if they weren't all technically family by blood. Finally Benjamin spoke again after a short silence. "Firstly you must be appropriately dressed; Digweed will attend to finding a riding outfit for you. We shall leave at ten thirty." He told her, and then pushed his plate away and left the room.

Excitement fluttering in her stomach, Maria hurried to her room as soon as she had finished eating. Like Uncle Benjamin had said, there was a riding outfit lying on her chair, but she didn't change straight away and instead turned to her dressing table. Just where she had left them were two pieces of parchment, with a dip pen and some ink. Smiling to herself, she sat down and began to write.

_Loveday De Noir_

_When I let you go I realised I had made the biggest mistake of my life…_

Upon returning from the woods, Maria found Uncle Benjamin feeding a beautiful grey-white pony an apple, his eyebrows furrowed as his eyes re read the swirly writing on the paper he had been given. "Uncle Benjamin, what's wrong?" Maria asked sweetly, rushing forwards to stroke the pony's nose. She had never been allowed to go near the horses in London, as Miss Heliotrope would have had a heart attack.

Uncle Benjamin jumped slightly at her sudden arrival and stuffed the letter into his pocket, and shook his head. "Nothing, my girl. Now, we will be going to the village by horse, I trust you have ridden one before?" When she replied that she hadn't, he raised his eyebrows in disapproval. "We Merryweathers are keen horse riders, Maria! Here, you may ride Periwinkle as she is very gentle."

Feeling slightly nervous, Maria placed her foot in the stirrup and pushed herself up onto the saddle, at first wondering whether she should ride side saddle but then deciding against it. Miss Heliotrope would not approve, but she was not there to tell her off.

The countryside was beautiful, with its sloping hills and sparkling dew. She could see a few people out in the fields in the distance, and the village up ahead. She was excited to get there, but had Periwinkle stay at a slow trot, so she could admire the view. They were on a muddy path now, and had to pass through what seemed like a little settlement- but it looked terrible. The houses were mostly covered with black cloth and pegged to the ground, and the wooden carts sold food which was not appealing at all. An old hag scuttled past, cursing the Merryweathers under her breath, whilst a few children dressed in rags with dirt on their cheeks huddled together, watching the two people go by with wide, scared eyes.

"Uncle, what is this?" Maria whispered, shrinking a little under everyone's unwelcoming gaze.

Uncle Benjamin looked shifty, and urged his horse to move a little faster. "They are the Travelling People. Some of them are related to the De Noir's which is why they hate us, and they used to cause trouble in the village."

"But why do they travel if they have family here?" Asked Maria, her curiosity getting the better of her. Benjamin frowned, and hesitated before answering.

"They travel because we banned them from living here. They do not belong, so they live in many places, and come here every few months. They're a nuisance really." He added, and hurried her along towards the village.

Maria could hear the hum of many voices as they drew closer. Little bungalows dotted a winding cobbled lane, which lead to the main square. Benjamin had told her that everyone would be there, as it was a market day. He was right, the streets were busy with people. They were carrying merchandise like jewellery and clothes, all handmade of course. In the main square, tables were set out and the residents became stallholders, calling out their goods to be sold. The smell of fresh bread wafted past her nose, but her eyes had already been distracted by a table selling various books and a few diaries. She dismounted Periwinkle and left her with Benjamin's horse at a hay stack and hurried over to the stall. She picked up one of the leather diaries, feeling the smooth material. She undid the clasp and flipped through the empty pages, wondering whether Uncle Benjamin would allow her to buy it. Just as she was about to look up to find him, her eyes caught sight of one of the pages. In tiny, slanted writing, a sentence had been written. '_The Pure and the Misunderstood.'_ It read, sending shivers down her spine. Feeling oddly unnerved, she put the book down and moved to the next stall.

"ello' there Missus! Would 'ya like a carving of yer' name?" A middle aged man held out a blank carved piece of wood, just the right size to fit on her door. After considering it for a moment she shook her head and said she was just looking, as the pastry stall had caught her attention. She hurried over, the smell bringing on pangs of hunger. There were fruit pies of apple, raspberry, ones topped with fresh strawberries and there were cooked pies too, with lamb, beef and chicken.

"Fancy a pie Miss?" A pretty woman greeted her this time, her blonde hair tied back in an intricate bun. "Haven't seen you around, might I say. May I ask your name?" She said, cutting the apple pie into neat slices.

"Maria Merryweather." Maria said, tempted to buy one, even though she had stuffed her face at breakfast earlier.

"Oh!" The woman gasped, straightening up. "Lovely to meet you, Miss Merryweather! I sure didn't know that Mr Merryweather had children! Here, take a slice, free." She gabbled, handing Maria a delicate napkin.

"He is my Uncle, Miss." Maria corrected, refusing to take it free and handing over the few coins that she had brought along. Thanking the stallholder for her generous offer, Maria walked further into the crowds, the satisfying taste of warm apple pie on her tongue. _She has to be here. _She thought to herself, her eyes scanning the unfamiliar faces around her. Suddenly she spotted the woman she had been looking for. Her dark hair was plaited and decorated with little forget-me-nots, and crimson dress swirled about her feet as she walked. Everyone was staring at her, but she had her eyes on someone else.

Benjamin Merryweather strode forwards, and bowed curtly. "Good morning, Miss De Noir." He said, and she greeted him in return, dipping her head slightly. An awkward silence followed, with both looking at each other expectantly. "Well?" He finally said, and she looked at him blankly.

"Well what? You invited me here to apologise." Loveday replied, folding her arms. Benjamin looked insulted, and pulled out his letter.

"I did nothing of the sort! You told me to come here and that you were going to apologise." He retorted, unfolding the letter and waving it at her. Her eyes widened and she unfolded her letter, both written with the same handwriting. "Maria." They sighed simultaneously, and their eyes met.

_There was so much hatred and no love left… You need to overpower them… with love. _Loveday's own words to the moon princess ran through her head, and she decided to be the better person and get over her pride. "I shouldn't… I shouldn't have lied. I'm sorry." She managed to say, her voice only just audible.

Benjamin was silent for a moment, his eyes taking in the beauty before him that he hadn't seen in years. "And I shouldn't have gotten angry, I'm sorry for that." He apologized, "You should have never run from me though!" Benjamin added quickly.

"You never looked for me!" Loveday cried, stepping forwards in angst.

"I looked for years." Benjamin sighed, and with that he turned and left, leaving Loveday gazing after him.

Maria sighed, she had almost done it! Watching the graceful woman glide away, she groaned inwardly and followed the brick wall to find her way back to the horses. Benjamin was already there, mounting his horse with a heartbroken expression he was trying to mask. Maria unhooked the rope from the hook and was just about to climb onto Periwinkle when something caught her eye. 5 tiny words were carved into the cobble stone on the floor, just about readable. An unsettling numbness washed over her as the words imprinted into her mind.

_The Pure and the Misunderstood._


	15. Chapter 15

**~Chapter 15 - Reunited~**

A few days had passed since the visit to the village, and Benjamin had become withdrawn and spent most of his time in the library, only leaving to eat, and he did this in silence. Maria felt terrible. Her attempt at mending Benjamin and Loveday's relationship had not gone to plan, in fact she hadn't expected that result at all.

However this outcome made her much more determined to overthrow the Shadows. She had decided on another plan to find Rose's son. Rose was a servant at the De Noir castle, taken in after the Shadows destroyed her town. Her son was taken to be treated as the family, whilst Rose went on to save many lives when a disease almost killed Robin.

Maria knew that this boy lived in the castle, and that he'd be about fourteen now, a bit younger than her. She had to get up to the castle first though, which would be the tricky part. She'd need a disguise, and she knew just what to do.

"I will be in the gardens if you need me!" Maria called out as she hurried down the stairs and left through the main doors, not waiting for an answer. Loveday lived in the middle of the forest under a tree, and had shown Maria the way home when she had escaped from the De Noir Castle. As she walked through the forest, the sentence she had seen at the village kept floating into her mind. The pure and the misunderstood. What did it mean? Was it a clue? Feeling more frustrated than ever, Maria muttered crossly to herself as she ducked under the hollow curve of the tree.

Swallowing, Maria prepared herself to face a very angry Loveday. "Loveday, are you here?" She called out, and when a reply came she opened the little wooden door and stepped inside. Loveday was sitting on the floor, holding a baby bird in the palms of her hands.

"The poor thing fell out of its nest. I can't find the nest, so I'm going to have to look after it." She said softly, stroking the feathers delicately. "How may I help you my girl?"

"I… I need to get back into the De Noir castle." Maria said quietly, expecting Loveday to get angry. She had every reason to- Maria had tricked her into seeing Benjamin and now was putting herself in danger, and asking for Loveday's help to do it!

Ever so gently, Loveday laid the bird on a pile of cloth and stood up, her dress gracefully swaying around her. "You're a brave girl, do you know that?" She said, as she made her way over to where she kept her clothes. Folding her arms she seemed to think for a moment, and then pulled out a dark red dress with black detailing, which was just about the right size to fit Maria. "This was my favourite dress when I was your age. Wear it and you'll fit right in, but be careful not to show your face, do you understand?" Loveday instructed, handing Maria the dress and smiling sadly. "I'm not angry for what you did. I know it's for the good of Moonacre. I'm proud of you, princess."

Maria blushed and hugged Loveday. "Thank you, Loveday. There's just one last thing I need help with. How do I get back in?"

Maria climbed up the spiralling staircase, her heart thundering in her chest. If someone recognized her, she couldn't escape. Coeur wanted her dead, and he would have his chance. When she reached the balcony, Maria felt along the wall for a notch in the bricks and pulled it, and to her surprise it opened quite easily. Now she was facing the inside of a cupboard, where she had once hidden in with Robin when his Uncle was following them.

The corridor was deserted when Maria left Loveday's old room. She now had to find potential sons of Rose, and she had no idea where or who they would be. The castle was pretty big, they could be anywhere. Sighing, she decided to begin with the level she was on, and hurried down the corridor, thanking Loveday silently for the netting which covered her face when a group of large men walked past her.

The red dress was a perfect fit. Maria looked just like a De Noir and nobody seemed to question otherwise. Either they were just too oblivious to anyone but themselves or there were so many people living in the castle that they didn't pay any attention. There were a lot of people about- big burly men who were laughing loudly and spilling pints of beer, small clusters of women who had sharp voices, who hurried about the place. A group of small children ran past, playing tag. They were too young to be Rose's child but they didn't even pay attention to her anyway, except one child. He was very young, probably about five. His dungarees were dirty and his brown hair was a mess of curls- like Robin. He stopped in front of Maria and stared, his doe eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

"Hello." Maria said quietly, feeling uncomfortable. The boy stepped forwards slowly and smiled up at her, before hugging her tightly.

"You're going to save us, aren't you Miss," He chirped, letting her go. Maria swallowed, realizing that she had heard him right. How did he know she was the Moon Princess when countless adults hadn't noticed? Why was he asking her to save them when all De Noirs wanted her dead?

"I… I'm going to try… but.. but you're a De Noir! You're supposed to hate me!" She stuttered, her eyes darting around the empty corridor. Was this a trick? How could she escape again if it was and she was kidnapped?

The boy smiled again, his eyes glistening. "My mama said you would. She says her cousins are wrong. She says that some of her friends agree that you're going to help us. Not every De Noir hates the Merryweathers." With that, he skipped away, looking back at her and waving.

Feeling slightly pressured, Maria carried on through the winding corridors, waiting for some sign of the boys. Just as she turned a corner which lead to the dining hall, she heard voices that were familiar to her.

"I still don't understand how the Princess escaped though!" It was Isaac, one of Robin's friends. He had been the nicest to Maria and was very handsome.

"It was over a week ago now so shut up about it, alright?" Another voice snapped, and they were getting closer. Panicking, Maria pushed open one of the doors behind her and leapt into the room, her heart racing. Could it be one of Robin's friends? It was possible, Rose had said her son wasn't a servant. If it was, how would she find out? Feeling slightly angry with herself, Maria realized she hadn't really thought this through properly. She turned around to face the room she was in- a circular library. It looked really unused, the ladder to reach the higher shelves was dusty and the table looked as if it was about to fall apart. There was another ladder which lead to the second floor seating area, which took up half of the library and seemed like an indoor balcony. The ceiling was very high, and to her surprise was decorated with paintings of the night sky.

"They'll find out sooner or later Robin, what-" A voice jolted her out of her thoughts and Maria turned around to see that two people had entered the room. Robin and Paul stood by the door with shocked expressions.

Robin looked hurt. He frowned at her before slamming the door shut behind him and storming forwards, his dark eyes staring at her as if he was trying to make sure it was really Maria. "What are you doing here?" He hissed, towering over her. "I risked my reputation to save your life. Why did you come back?!"

Maria steadied her breathing and looked at him square in the eye. "So what you're telling me is that all you risked was your reputation? Why are you so angry?!" She argued back, pulling off the ridiculous hat and netting and chucking it away from her.

"No, Princess. If my father found out, the things that could happen to me are endless. My sister lives in the forest, just for seeing a Merryweather. I went completely against his orders to rescue you, don't you understand how terrible that is to a De Noir?" Robin's face was like thunder, his fists clenched with anger. Paul had been forgotten, he stood by the door, bewildered.

"Then why didn't you let him kill me?" Maria cried, her green eyes boring into his. Robin seemed to deflate, his fists unclenching and his eyes softening. He stepped back, and sighed.

"I don't know Princess, I don't know." He told her, and Paul decided to intervene. He coughed loudly and walked forwards, making both of them jump.

Paul was the same age as Maria, however he was quite small. He was skinny with an elf like face and spikey brown hair, and eyes that always sparkled. This time his usual grin was replaced with a serious expression. "If Coeur hears that you're here he'll have you killed on the spot, Moon Princess." He said solemnly, taking a seat on one of the dusty arm chairs. "Robin and I were just about to discuss how we'd stop people finding out, cause I ain't about to be pulled into this mess."

"He's right." Robin said, leaning on the book shelf. "Why are you here Princess? Do you have a death wish?"

Shaking her head, Maria prepared herself to explain, but stopped, noticing something. Paul narrowed his eyes, realizing that she was staring at him. "What?" He asked, and she gasped with happiness.

"Who's your mother, Paul?" She asked, and he shrugged, looking slightly annoyed.

"Dunno, probably just some village woman that one of the men took a fancy to." He said dryly. "And my father's dead. Never met him. What's this got to do with anything?" Maria bit back a knowing smile. Paul thought he was an orphan and knew nothing about his mother. Paul also had friendly blue eyes and light brown hair, as did Rose. Paul was fourteen, Rose had come to the castle when Robin was two… fourteen years ago. Rose's late husband was called Paul.

"It's you!" She cried, and both boys looked at her, dumbfounded.

"Care to explain?" Robin asked, frowning. Maria grinned and told them everything, from when Loveday had found her in the forest and how she had tried to reunite Benjamin and Loveday. She told them about Rose's story how everything fitted together.

Paul shook his head in disbelief, finding this revelation hard to believe. Robin on the other hand looked impressed. "You must meet her Paul, please?" She asked, and with a dumbfounded expression, the boy nodded.

The three of them walked through the castle on the familiar route to the servants' quarters, which Maria had travelled every day when she had been held captive there. Robin was on edge, even though he had said that his father was in his study and wouldn't leave for a long time. Maria noticed now how a few people would smile knowingly when she passed, and it unnerved her. What if they slipped and told someone she was there? What if she couldn't save them?

Rose was slicing carrots when they entered the kitchen. "I told ya' Marie, he wants the barrels outside!" Rose sighed, turning around. Her eyes widened in shock to see the three in front of her, and she put down the knife. "No, no, no. Don't ya' be tellin' me that's Maria now." She muttered, shaking her head and staring at Maria. "It's much too dangerous for someone of your sorts to be 'ere!" She scolded, but hugged Maria warmly.

"Rose, I'm here to introduce you to Paul." She said gently, and Rose just raised her eyebrows and nodded at the boy.

"What'll it be then, Mister Paul? Mind you, dinner's in an hour." Rose said, not catching on. Maria didn't understand. Why wasn't she realizing that this was her son? Sighing impatiently, Maria decided to just come right out with it.

"He's your son, Rose." She informed her quietly, and Rose stared at her.

"What are you talkin' about, I ain't got no son!" She muttered, turning back to her chopping. Robin looked uncomfortable and fiddled with the various feathers hanging round his neck, whilst Paul just looked rejected.

"Told you I ain't got a mother." He grumbled to Maria, and turned to leave.

"No, wait!" Maria cried, grabbing his arm. "I failed with my first attempt to stop the shadows and it won't happen again. Rose, you told me yourself that fourteen years ago your village got attacked by the shadows, leaving you and your new-born son homeless. Couer De Noir found you and took you in with the agreement that you'd be a servant and your son would be treated as one of them. Well he has been, and he's right here." She said firmly, a glimmer of hope sparking when she noticed there were tears running down Rose's cheeks.

Wiping her tears away hastily, she turned to look at Paul. "So you're my boy then." She said, and the boy unexpectedly ran into her arms and hugged her tightly. Noticing that this was the right time to leave, Maria and Robin walked out of the kitchens.

Maria was grinning from ear to ear as they walked back the way they came, and Robin was trying hard to fight his smile and keep his serious expression. "That was great!" Maria squealed, shutting up quickly when she got weird stares from passers-by.

"You can leave before everyone goes to dinner." Robin said quietly, leading her towards the front doors.

Looking hurt, Maria's smile dropped. "Your friend just found his mother, can't you be at least a little happy about that?!" She snapped, following him. They stood by the large doors, neither saying anything. It was oddly quiet.

"I'm glad he's found his mother." Robin said quietly, adverting his gaze. "Look, Princess… what you're doing is really dangerous…" he trailed off, obviously uncomfortable.

"But I'm doing it for Moonacre, and you of all people shouldn't try to discourage me after you convinced me the curse was true!" Maria argued, frustration with the dark haired boy taking over her happiness. "I know it's dangerous but if you don't want to help, then that's fine. I have to do this."

Robin didn't reply. They stood staring at each other for a moment until Maria huffed angrily and pushed open the doors, only looking back once as she stormed away from the castle. Robin de Noir was standing with his arms folded, watching her. How had he gotten himself into this mess?


	16. Chapter 16

**~Chapter 16 - Little White Horse~**

Maria was exhausted.

The past few days she had spent in her room, resting and reading. She enjoyed escaping into a book a lot, and had found that since she had moved to Moonacre she hadn't found as much time to read as she had in London. She supposed life was more exciting in Moonacre, however she was ashamed at her lack of reading as it was one of her favourite past-times and Miss Heliotrope often told her of how books brought wisdom.

Uncle Benjamin's library was wonderful. He was an avid reader himself and with books of romance to mystery to fantasy he was not lacking in any genre, something which he was highly proud of. Now she had finally been granted permission to use it, Maria had been in and out constantly, bringing a new book each time. Benjamin had become less withdrawn since the incident in town, and had even lent Maria some new writing paper, after telling her that the paper which she had used to forge letters was of terrible quality.

The food she was given definitely helped regaining Maria's strength. She had no idea why she was so tired and had blamed it on all the scheming and the nonstop worrying she had done. The 5000th moon was drawing closer, and Maria still had to destroy the shadows and find the moon pearls. However, today the moon princesses was intent on finding the kitchens. She had wondered before who the cook was, but Benjamin never gave her an answer. Maria left her room in the afternoon, briefly noticing that the mysterious picture which hung outside her door had appeared again- her Uncle kept removing it. Muttering to herself that she'd had enough of this magic, Maria hurried down the winding stairs and decided that the kitchens had to be on the first floor with the dining room, as that was practical.

Finding the kitchens was turning out to be a difficult task. Wrolfe followed Maria as she wandered the various rooms, keeping by her side and occasionally nudging her with his nose. She trailed the corridors, her hand dancing along the walls, tracing the old peeling wall paper. Then she noticed something. There seemed to be a little frame at the end of the corridor, about the size of the door to her room in the tower. Curious, Maria ran her fingers over the wall, realizing there was a gap. Smiling to herself, Maria pushed it open and ducked through.

"Markaduke Scarlett, chef of all chefs. At your service, little princess." A small man with a moustache, only a little taller than Maria herself, had popped up in front of her and offered a hand to shake. He was wearing a pointy hat and a ruffled waistcoat, and in his other arm he cradled a bowl. Grinning, she introduced herself and watched, amused as he disappeared with a pop and reappeared by the stove, mixing his bowl gleefully. The kitchen was filled with food of all sorts. Warm bread in baskets dotted the table, meringues and pies and cakes were sitting on every space available. Vines grew along the cracking walls and a little garden to the side was bursting with plants and herbs.

"Mr Scarlett, how are you… how are you doing that?" She asked, watching as he buzzed about the place. She had seen many odd things since she had arrived at Moonacre and it was beginning to become the norm.

"My dear, a little bit of magic has come back to Moonacre." He answered, smiling. He stopped momentarily for her to notice how the crinkles around his eyes emphasised the joy that radiated from him. In a flash he was beside her again, holding a plate of rich plum pudding. "Here, try this Miss Maria. You need all the strength you can get!" Maria took the plate, breathing in the fruity scent. Plum pudding had been her favourite fruit desert back in London.

"Magic… It seems impossible that someone like me can break the curses." Maria sighed, sitting on one of the wooden chairs and tucking into her slice of pudding. The sweetness filled her with happiness.

Marmaduke watched her, a twinkle in his eye. "Ah but you see Miss Maria, you _are_ the last Moon Princess. I see no need to fret, you're a clever girl. You found me, didn't you?" He assured, picking up a milk pitcher and pouring some milk into a pan.

"But… but how can I be sure? For all we know it could be Loveday or… or…"

Marmaduke appeared beside her and hushed her. Taking her empty plate away he let out a cheerful laugh. "Why, Miss Loveday has already had her chance! My dear we can all feel it." This reassured Maria a little, and she nodded to herself in confidence. "You may have seen a little white horse about the place, invisible to all but a true moon princess." He added, though with this new information, Maria frowned.

"Oh no, then it cannot be me Marmaduke, I haven't seen a little white horse." She sighed, feeling truly disappointed. Marmaduke turned around and smiled knowingly, the little glint back in his twinkling eyes.

"Perhaps, Miss Maria… perhaps you have not looked hard enough."

The last room Maria came upon was a hall. It wasn't very large, but with its high ceilings and tall windows, Maria decided it would be a beautiful place to hold a ball. Her footsteps echoed around the room as she followed the walls, enchanted by the detail of the pillars. A faint tune could be heard, someone was playing the piano. Miss Heliotrope was in the classroom and Uncle Benjamin was in his study, so who was playing? It was a beautiful but lonely melody, and captivated, Maria went to find the source.

A crumbling room stood before her wide eyes. Dead vines trailed the walls and the dirty windows gave a once magnificent view to the garden. A piano stood, covered in a sheet, at the edge of the rounded room atop some stairs. Hesitantly Maria walked towards it, and pulled the sheet off. She wasn't so surprised to find the piano was playing itself, and sat down, tentatively placing her hands on the keys.

It was as if she knew the song in her heart. Her fingers danced delicately along the piano, and the beautiful melody sounded more complete. It was a duet, Maria thought, and as her eyes wandered the room she noticed a large painting of a pot of flowers in a room leaning against the wall. On a second glance Maria realized it was gleaming, and looking again she saw it was a mirror. But how could that be? There was a reflection of some pretty pink flowers yet they did not exist in the room. Leaving the piano she wandered over, watching as a scene came alive before her eyes.

_It was Loveday and Benjamin, and they were dancing, whirling and laughing about the room. They were to get married, Loveday was wearing her wedding dress, and she looked breath-taking. Smiling, Maria watched them, admiring the many pink flowers which decorated the room. But suddenly, things took a turn for the worse as Loveday halted and spun to face Benjamin. _

_"I'm not who you think I am." Loveday said, completely serious. The overjoyed look on Benjamin's face began to falter. "I'm a De Noir." She finished, and he looked horrified._

_"A De Noir?" He repeated, staring at her as if she was alien to him. _

_Loveday noticed this and desperately tried to explain, stepping forwards. "I was brought up to despise the Merryweathers but then I met you and… and that changed everything!" She stammered, but Benjamin only stepped backwards, looking heart broken. _

_He let out a gasp and stared at her. "You tricked me." He breathed._

_"No!" Loveday cried, _

_"You pretended to love me, but all this time you were plotting behind my back trying to find those ridiculous pearls!" Benjamin shouted, his face a picture of pure rage as he ignored her cries. He lifted a plant and smashed it before her feet. "It was your father that sent you, wasn't it." _

_"No! By marrying you I've lost his love forever!" Loveday admitted. "But Benjamin don't you see? Our love could bring our families back together! It could put an end to this dreadful curse!"_

_Benjamin had seemed to calm down, but at the mention of the curse that hung over Moonacre his began to get angry again. "Oh don't give me that nonsense. And you filled this house with your De Noir flowers!" He yelled, his voice raising. With that he picked up a larger potted plant and stood to hurl it out of the window, only pausing when he heard Loveday's heartbroken sobs._

_"You don't understand! Doesn't love change everything?" Loveday stood, defeated, tears rolling down her cheeks. Benjamin took one look at her, softening again._

_"No my dear, but hate does." He answered, and as she crumbled and ran from the room, he hurled the plant out of the window._

"That song is called the love waltz." A voice broke Maria away from the mirror, and her heart hammering she turned around, the surprise of realizing that she had just witnessed the past through a mirror still consuming her mind. Loveday sat at the piano, looking sadly around the lifeless room.

"How did you get in…?" Maria questioned, walking towards the older woman. Loveday stood and hugged Maria tightly, before smiling.

"There's a secret passageway in your room. Come." She offered a hand which Maria took, and the two walked back upstairs and into Maria's room, and she didn't fail to notice that the painting was still hanging across from her door. "This dress belonged to the very first moon princess." Loveday sighed happily, holding up a gorgeous deep red dress. It was long and flowing, with wide sleeves and a material extremely soft. Smiling, Maria took it and held it before her. It would fit perfectly.

"Loveday, I'm not sure what else I should do to bring love back to Moonacre." Maria said, sitting down at her desk and sighing. "I'm worried that it's too late and-"

"Hush child." Loveday said soothingly, sitting down next to her. "I believe that something must be done about the travellers near the village. Perhaps you could think about that." Maria nodded, remembering the visit she had made to the village with Benjamin. There had been a settlement of makeshift houses not too far between the De Noir castle and the village, and they were banned from permanently living in Moonacre Valley.

"I suppose so, yes." Adela agreed. "That reminds me of something I kept seeing a week ago, on my visit to the village." She felt Loveday tense beside her, and remembered that it was also the day when she had tried to unite Loveday with Benjamin, and it hadn't gone very well. Loveday didn't speak, so she continued. "I saw this sentence, it was in a book and on a stone… I think it has to do with the shadows." She muttered, the sight of it flashing through her mind.

"What was the sentence?" Loveday asked patiently.

"The pure and the misunderstood." It seemed much less daunting now Maria had said it out loud, and she turned to look at Loveday who was frowning. The woman got up and beckoned for Maria to follow her. She went to the mirror sitting on the Princess' dressing table. She was muttering under her breath, and as she did so a picture began forming on the mirrors surface, flickering and swirling.

It was the forest, dark and mysterious. A girl with long flowing brown hair was aimlessly wandering through the trees, it seemed as if she was almost glowing. Next to her padded a large black lion, his mane stirring softly in the breeze, on the other side trotted a gorgeous white horse. The girl turned and Maria's eyes met with her own green ones, sparkling and full of magic. The picture dissolved and reformed, but this time they were travelling through gloomy, deserted corridors, and echoes of voices could be heard. "Traitor!"  
"Scared of your old man?"  
"Then why didn't you let him kill me?!"  
"I don't know Princess, I don't know."  
"Not every De Noir hates the Merryweathers."  
"Where do you think you're going? To your… Princess?"

In a flash it was all gone, and Maria was left staring at her own reflection, her eyes wide and her skin pale. "I'm the pure?" She whispered, and Loveday nodded, rolling her eyes at herself.

"I don't see why I didn't get it before. I think I have a pretty good idea of who the misunderstood is too." She smiled knowingly, and turned to Maria, who was trying to get her head around everything. Firstly, mirrors could be used to see visions. Secondly, not only did she have to find the moon pearls, but now she was the 'pure' one and her part in destroying the shadows was major. "It's Robin." Loveday said.

"What?"

"My brother Robin is the misunderstood." Loveday explained, taking Maria's hand and sitting her down at the desk. Maria groaned inwardly. She remembered briefly hearing a conversation between herself and Robin in the vision. How on earth would she be able to break the curses with the likes of Robin? She had to admit that he had grown on her, but it was plain that he didn't want any more to do with stopping the curse. He was an arrogant, pride-filled boy who was not to mention a De Noir!

That was it. Snapping out of her thoughts, Maria realized that she understood. It was pride that kept these curses alive, it was pride that would doom them all. Loveday and Benjamin would not talk because of their pride. The two families would not stop their feud because of pride. Her father would not borrow money from Benjamin because of his pride. And if she wanted to stop the valley being plunged into eternal darkness, she'd have to get over her own pride first. "Loveday, how long do we have until the 5000th moon?" she asked, pulling out the new paper Benjamin had given her, and she picked up one of her information books. Together they calculated the precise number of moons that had passed since the curse had been set on Moonacre, until they were left with a number. "4999." Maria whispered, and it hit her. The very next full moon would be the last, the one to destroy the whole valley.

"Dear, you only have three days left." Loveday gasped, her grip tightening around her hand. Feeling the fear return to her, Maria swallowed hard and shut the book she had in front of her. She had three days left to sort things out with the travellers, to destroy the shadows, to find the pearls and to be 'heard'. Feeling overwhelmed, she stood up and slowly walked to the window, trying to process everything.

It was getting dark, and a few lanterns had been lit outside, giving an eerie glow to the lonely grounds. A fountain stood in the middle of tall grass, completely silent. The water around it was murky and dull, and part of the statue had crumbled. In the distance Maria could see the glowing lights from the De Noir castle, looking intimidating from its spot on a hill. Her eyes moved back to the fountain, and she sighed and turned, but something caught her eye.

Looking back, Maria's eyes widened as a pure white horse with a thin horn galloped across the garden, and disappeared into the wind.


	17. Chapter 17

**~Chapter 17 - The Settlement~**

Maria knew exactly what to do. She had spent the morning rereading the Chronicles of Moonacre, determined that there was some sort of clue in the swirling writing. Before long she realized that the De Noir's had taken the casket and the Merryweathers had taken the key. It was pretty obvious to her of where to go from there. The De Noir's had the pearls, how could they not? Sir Merryweather wouldn't have taken the key if he had already gotten his hands on the pearls- there would have been no need. They key was tucked into the leather buckle of the book, and feeling proud, Maria had tucked it into the ribbon that circled her waist for safe-keeping.

Feeling quite nervous, Maria had left the Manor with the excuse that she was going to walk through the gardens. Uncle Benjamin was becoming increasingly suspicious throughout the week, especially when he had caught her reading the book at the piano before breakfast, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the piano was playing itself. Why hadn't she questioned him yet?

Miss Heliotrope had been recently entranced with the wonders of the manor's old library. She had found an interest in reading French novels, much to Maria's distaste. Though she admitted it was a beautiful language, her long lessons each day with Miss Heliotrope were one of the most boring things she had to do, especially now she had more exciting things on her mind.

The De Noir castle was more than a mile and a half walk from Merryweather manor. Pulling her shawl around her shoulders more snugly, Maria started the trek, beginning to form an idea of what she would do when she got there. She actually had no idea. She was kidding herself that somehow she'd negotiate a way for the travellers to stay in Moonacre Valley and keep Uncle Benjamin happy, but deep down she knew that would be almost impossible. She was a Merryweather after all and the travellers sympathized with the De Noirs, she would be lucky to even get out of there unhurt. It was worth a try however, with the full moon looming closer.

Tiny rays of sunlight peeped through the canopy of leaves above them, giving the feel that everything was softly sparkling. Bursts of magical birdsong broke the silence occasionally, and Maria realized that back in London there was never this much beauty to be found.

If she were in London she'd be taking a stroll in the park or sitting at the dining table reciting French with Miss Heliotrope, or writing a letter to her father with hopes that maybe this time he'd find time to reply. Of course he barely ever did, and Maria saw now how much Miss Heliotrope had tried to fill up the gaping hole caused by the absence of her two parents.

Taking a stroll in the park seemed boring now to Maria. Madeline would be horrified she thought, if she knew that her best friend would rather explore the exciting forest. Everything was new and there was always something she hadn't seen before and yet there was a calmness associated with the forest. On the other hand in London the most peace she would get was if she sat at her balcony overlooking the gardens. Even then she could still hear the sound of people on the main roads. It only died down at night, but she hadn't been allowed to go out at night without an escort. It was not appropriate for a lady and far too dangerous apparently, but Maria had faced things she was sure were worse in Moonacre than anything in London.

Maria's thoughts were interrupted when she was forcefully tugged backwards, and letting out a loud yelp she fell and landed with a thump on the leafy ground. She sat dazed for a few moments, noticing the silence around her. The birds had stopped singing. Maria muttered angrily to herself momentarily and pushed herself off the ground, only to topple back down again, this time to land on something extremely sharp. Cursing quietly even though no one was around to hear her, Maria shifted around slightly to see a metal claw shaped trap caught on her dress. It had caused three long rips at the bottom and as she tugged at it, was not budging.

The throbbing pain in her calf was not disappearing, and damning the De Noirs and their stupid traps in her mind, Maria sat back in defeat. This was Merryweather land, traps from the De Noirs were a definitely not allowed. She was all too ready to tell Uncle Benjamin, but realized what the consequences for her and the valley would be.

"Well, well, well. I never expected to see this sight." An arrogant, mocking voice floated out from the trees behind her, making Maria jolt slightly in shock. Robin casually walked around to face her, his arms folded and an amused smile crossing his face.

"You're not funny, bird boy." Maria grumbled, looking away, fighting off the urge to wince as the stinging in her leg worsened. "Your family's traps shouldn't be here, I have every right to tell Uncle Benjamin." She threatened, feeling slightly childish.

"Sadly for you princess, as much as I'd love to take credit for this, it's not our trap." He told her, crouching down and fiddling with the trap, his eyes flickering back to hers occasionally.

With a crack, the metal claws opened, freeing Maria's dress. Maria stood up, patted down her blue dress and made to storm away, only to stumble when her wounded leg gave away. "Pathetic trap really. It's so obvious that anything could see it…" He was saying, holding it up and shaking his head. Maria took a deep breath to prevent herself from screaming at him. Ladies did not scream.

Doing her best to keep her composure Maria attempted to limp on through the forest. The stinging in her leg was causing tears to prick at her eyes and she did not want Robin to see that. The boy had other ideas though and sauntered over, untying the red cloth he had around his neck. "You've got to put pressure on it to stop it from bleeding." He told her, his voice gentle this time.

Maria halted and stared at him for a moment, and then decided he was safe enough. Hadn't he already saved her life before? She bent down and lifted her skirts slightly to show a cut above her ankle. She swallowed hard, feeling the stinging sensation worsen. She was embarrassed to seem so weak, but having never injured herself in the cosy lifestyle she had in London, this was new to her and quite scary to be honest.

Kneeling down, Robin wrapped the cloth around her cut a few times and knotted it, before standing up and folding his hands behind his back. He nodded to confirm that he was done and his hat tipped forwards, hiding his eyes. Suddenly the atmosphere was slightly awkward. He had come out to check the De Noir traps and had found himself wandering towards Merryweather Manor, much to his surprise. Feeling a surge of gratefulness for nobody being with him, Robin was heading back to De Noir land when he heard a cry, and curiosity had gotten the better of him. That was when he found the Moon Princess, who was now looking everywhere but at Robin.

"Thankyou." Maria said curtly, and began limping in the direction she had been heading before. Robin watched her go for a moment, before catching up. His long strides easily matched her surprisingly quick pace.

"Might I ask where you're off to, Princess?" He questioned, and she gave him a look of distaste.

"To save the valley, of course. I know you De Noirs have the pearls and if they aren't returned, we're all doomed." She said, earning a loud laugh from Robin.

"I think you're mistaken there, Princess. We don't have the pearls. They're hidden in the Merryweather manor. Sir Wrolf Merryweather stole them all those years ago." He replied, glancing at her expression. She looked frustrated.

"Robin, you didn't want to help me before so I'd appreciate it if you left. Your claims are false as we have the key. Why would we take the key if we had the pearls? So there." Maria told him, folding her arms with a stubborn expression.

Robin considered this, realizing she was probably right. But he knew for sure that the De Noirs didn't have the pearls, so where were they? Either way he couldn't let her go back to the castle, it would be the end of both of them, and then therefore the valley. He frowned, and then ignoring as much of his stubborn pride as he could, stopped walking. "You're right, your family don't have the pearls, but so am I. I know for sure that we do not have the pearls, or my Father would have used them to his advantage long ago. The reason he wants you captured is so the pearls will never be found and the valley will plunge into darkness, this being my father's victory. I promise you Maria, going to the castle will get you nowhere."

Maria's heart sank at every word as she felt her grasp on the moon pearls slip away. Everything Robin had said made sense, and she knew he was right. Nodding slowly, she smiled sadly at him. "The valley's curse is pride and hatred. The least we can do for now is stop the hatred between the travellers and my Uncle." She said softly, before turning and beginning to walk again, her pace seemingly more determined now.

Robin felt relief wash over him and smiled to himself slightly, before walking beside her again.

"The travellers like compromise, but you've got to be in control." Robin advised, becoming more guarded as the forest merged into De Noir land. "Don't take no for an answer, there's always a way round what they want." His eyes flickered at every sound, his hand grasping the knife hidden in his belt.

Maria pretended not to notice how tense he was, it only highlighted how dangerous the De Noirs were if the heir to the clan was fearful of his own family. She couldn't imagine them all being so bad, especially after the encounter with the little boy who told her that there were some De Noir's who supported the Moon Princess. "We have two days, not counting this one." Maria told him suddenly, causing the boy to flinch. "I know it seems impossible but that's the reality."

"Two days to find the pearls? We have no idea where they could be!" Maria obviously hadn't said the right thing, as Robin's eyes had widened with shock.

"Well we're stopping the hatred now, aren't we? That's the Shadows gone, and-" Maria was cut short by a freezing gust of wind that seemed to travel right through her, clenching at her bones and leaving with a shiver.

Robin had obviously felt it too as he stopped in his tracks, and shook his head at her. "They know what we're doing, Princess. Don't say their name." He said quietly, before continuing to lead the way to the travellers. They had reached the edge of the forest now and before them lay a sloping hill of green grass, dotted with daises. As they stood at the top of the hill she could see not too far away the tents and caravans that were set out in a surprisingly ordered fashion. "I used to come here a lot when I was a kid." He then told her, his eyes fixed on the people who were milling around.

"With your parents?" Maria asked, watching him from the corner of her eye. He was adjusting his hat uncomfortably as his eyes skimmed over the settlement. Shaking his head, he was silent for a moment.

"No. Just with my father when he went hunting. My mother died when I was born." He said, his voice steady and unemotional. It was as if he had complete control over how he felt and he had pushed away all feelings of grief and sadness. Then he suddenly started descending down the grassy hill, beckoning for her to follow.

"I'm sorry." Maria sighed, she understood how if felt, losing a parent. She also figured that the lack of a mother in his life had caused him to be so hostile and cold, and suddenly she felt sorry for the boy in leather. "Robin… what if you father finds out that you're helping me?" Maria asked him quietly, nerves beginning to build up in her stomach as they came nearer to the busy area.

Picking up the pace, Robin didn't look at her this time when he spoke. "Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself Princess." He said, and although Maria believed him she couldn't help but feel a little scared that Coeur would find out, and knowing what he was capable of, the bird boy was putting a lot at risk by helping her.

The smell of cooking meat hung in the air as Maria and Robin stood before the temporary settlement made by the Travelers. Black tents were hooked to the ground and makeshift houses had been put together, whilst wooden carts carrying food and hand-made items were being pushed along the mud track. Robin seemed to straighten up fully and he kept close to Maria, guiding her towards one tent that seemed to be slightly larger than the others. Sitting outside it on a little wooden chair was an old lady, small and frail. She blinked up at the two teenagers and scowled as her eyes combed over Maria's face. "A Merryweather, how dare you come here." She hissed, standing up. _How did she know?_ Maria thought to herself, panicked. Her back was bent over and her teeth were mostly missing, and slightly intimidated, Maria shifted away. "And a De Noir! You traitor, having an acquaintance with the likes of the cursed. They'll be the death of us all, damn you both!" She was cursing now, shaking her head at the two.

Robin stood patiently, a bored expression on his face. When she stopped ranting and frowned at him, he opened his mouth to talk. "I'd like to speak to Jack." He said curtly, before pushing aside the tent door and holding it for Maria to pass through. Inside the tent was a wooden makeshift table surrounded by chairs and logs of wood. The skeleton of the head of a deer sat on a stool in the corner. As they entered a large man stood, pushing his beer away as he did so. He was bigger than Coeur but had a less sinister look about him with his lack of hair and massive hands.

"Robin my boy! Why, it's been years ain't it!" He bellowed, patting Robin on the back. Robin grinned this time, a full on smile that she had never seen from him.

"I know, it's been much too long. I'm here on negotiation terms though, Jack." Robin stepped to the side and gestured for Maria to come forwards, which she did tentatively. "This is Maria Merryweather."

Jack's face showed no emotion, but around them the few men that sat at the table stood up in a defensive manner, the air suddenly becoming still. A few cried out in anger, only silencing when Jack held up his hand. "A bold move, bringing one of them here." Jack growled, his eyes boring into the Princess. "The curse is still upon this valley, is it not? Why are you, a De Noir, associating with likes of her?"

Robin didn't seem fazed by the threatening tone in Jack's voice, though Maria supposed he was used to being threatened by his father. "We've come to negotiate your agreement with Sir Benjamin Merryweather." Robin said simply. He stood slightly in front of Maria, with his legs slightly apart and one hand clutching the knife on his belt.

The sound of Jack's fist slamming onto the table beside him was enough to frighten Maria. Feeling her heart hammering inside her chest she watched as the men around Jack began grumbling again, no doubt insulting her uncle. "Don't you mention that pig to me. He banished us! We barely live on nothing thanks to him. Them goats we got out there ain't enough to feed us all Robin!" Jack roared, seemingly having forgotten that Maria was there.

Plucking up her courage Maria stepped forwards before Robin could reply. "Sir, I'd like to talk about changing those terms." She told him, feeling a little surge of pride when her voice came out as confident and his gaze flickered to her. Maria's auburn hair was glowing in the dim light and her determined expression was punctuated by her fiery eyes.

Robin's eyes grew wide and he turned to look at her, whilst Jack just stared. His glare had gone and had been replaced with a look of complete and utter sadness. Robin looked as if he'd seen a pig fly, and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"You look like my… my late daughter." Jack said softly, and shook his head fiercely. This sudden revelation seemed to have had an effect on his thoughts. "Right, what are these changes you propose? This is between us though darlin', it ain't got nothing to do with you Robin, I'm afraid." And then he offered for the two to sit down and poured Robin a mug of beer. Robin drank from it gratefully whilst Maria composed herself to seem professional.

"I'd like to… well… first of all I think we should remove the ban that my Uncle created. There must be a few conditions however. You mustn't steal, fight, disrespect boundaries, destroy property or cause any trouble." Maria told him, her eyes flickering to Robin who nodded slowly in approval.

"I cannot be held responsible for what my people do." Jack told her. "We _will _be able to build homes on the land, yes?"

Maria nodded quickly. "Yes. Only if a system of discipline is formed. You must have punishments for any crimes committed so this agreement will work." Jack reached out a hand for her to shake and she took it, feeling extremely satisfied. "You must also keep your traps further away from Merryweather land however, I had the unfortunate experience of being caught in one." Maria remembered then the cut on her leg and realized she had forgotten about it for the whole afternoon. The negotiations continued, with Jack drawing out a suggested plan for the settlement that Maria decided would be shown to Uncle Benjamin when he was in a good mood.

"Very well Miss Merryweather, I believe we have ourselves a deal. Of course this will take further negotiations so we shall have to meet in the near future." Jack concluded, standing up and stretching. Robin joined him and gave the bigger man a friendly pat on the back before leading Maria out of the tent.

"That was perfect!" Maria grinned, almost skipping as they left the settlement. She was a picture of innocence and her excitement was contagious. Robin couldn't help but smile slightly at their triumph, it had gone well. They walked in comfortable silence back to Merryweather land, discussing possible places that the pearls could be hidden. "Thank you Robin." Maria suddenly said, smiling at him genuinely. He returned the smile, it was an odd thing to him; feeling appreciated.

As he turned to leave Robin knew he had somehow made an unspoken pact to help the Moon Princess in any way he could, and somehow he had to go through with it, despite the guilt at being a traitor eating away at him inside. So as he trailed back through the darkening forest he took a large hare from a trap and prepared his excuses for being away for the afternoon. Although his father thought he was pathetic and did not appreciate him at all, he'd never think for one moment that his only son would betray him. It was unthinkable that a De Noir would do such a thing. But Loveday had, so why would Robin not be a 'traitor' too?


	18. Chapter 18

**~Chapter 18 - Shadows~**

Soon came the day when the 5000th moon would rise and plunge the valley into darkness. Maria had slept badly all night, her dreams plagued with visions of the valley going to ruins, of being chased through the forest, and of plummeting into the depths of a dark and stormy ocean. When she finally awoke and rid herself of the haunting dreams, the sinking feeling appeared in her stomach. She had no luck finding the pearls the day before, it just seemed impossible.

Dragging herself out of bed, Maria wished with all her might that it was all just a dream. But she knew it was not and if she didn't find the pearls the entire valley was condemned to death. That was the truth and it was harsh. So, Maria took a deep breath before changing into the beautiful dress Loveday had brought her. It was a deep red colour with a square neckline and wide sleeves, and had belonged to the very first Moon Princess. Just standing there Maria could almost feel the magic tingling within her.

Taking one last look around her bedroom, Maria admired the beauty of the mural. It was definitely Moonacre Valley, in one corner she noticed that the Merryweather Manor had been painted, and there was also the village and the De Noir Castle. Something else caught her attention. By her fireplace large cliffs had been painted, with the sea crashing against the bottom. There seemed to be a theatre carved out at the top, at the level of the forest. A theatre that looked strangely like the one in the story book, where the Moon Princess had her wedding.

It all became clear to her. That was where she needed to go! Once she had found the pearls she would find the stone theatre and return the pearls to the ocean, their rightful home. Maria only hoped she could save the valley in time. She drank the milk and ate the cookies left on her bedside table, seeing that she had no time to waste, so she wouldn't be going down to breakfast. Hopefully Miss Heliotrope and Uncle Benjamin wouldn't come to wake her only to find that she was gone. Looking out the window to the forest, Maria's gaze fell upon the magical white unicorn that galloped through the crumbling wall into the trees. It stopped once beyond the wall and looked back, indicating that was where she had to go.

The painting of the first Moon Princess was still hung outside her bedroom, despite the many times Digweed had removed it upon Benjamin's request. She stared, transfixed for a moment. The first Moon Princess was beautiful and had a lot of resemblance to Loveday. She was smiling at Maria, and in her hand she held the shining pearls. She beckoned her forwards to the forest, where she turned to the side to reveal a thick tree with a large hollow entrance that sloped into the ground.  
Suddenly the painting was still again, leaving Maria bewildered. The Moon Princess had shown her where to look. A small smile appeared across her face and Maria left down the spiralling stairs, hoping that neither of her guardians would be awake to hear her leave.

A few hours later when Loveday pushed the secret door open to Maria's tower room, she smiled to see the girl hadn't woken yet. Standing up straight however, Loveday noticed that the lump under the duvet seemed slightly small for a girl of Maria's age. Storming forwards she ripped the duvet away to find the bed empty, with no trace of Maria. "Oh Maria!" Loveday whispered, terror for the girl filling her heart. She'd gone to find the pearls already.

The dilemma of what to do was battling inside of Loveday. She could go and find the girl herself, but it would be very difficult due to the size of the forest. She could face Benjamin and tell him, though the thought sent her heart beating terribly fast. But it was Maria's life at risk here, and knowing that the 5000th moon would rise that night, Loveday had a very good suspicion that the De Noirs would be after her too. Breathing in deeply, Loveday opened the tiny door and stepped through, ready to see the man she had run away from thirteen years ago.

Robin sprinted through the forest, dodging trees and leaping over fallen branches. He had to find Maria. His father had gathered all his men early that morning with the deadly mission of finding the Moon Princess, and should anyone fail to help there would be consequences. Having ditched his friends thanks to Paul's help, Robin was now searching the forests desperately for her.

Trees passed by him like wind and the dark figures of his clan appeared briefly in the corners of his eyes like shadows but they had no idea that the Coeur's son was a betrayal, nor could they do anything to stop the boy. He found himself skidding to a halt when he reached the familiar clearing where he first caught Maria. Catching his breath for a moment he looked around, feeling stupid at the hope that Maria would appear through the trees, safe. Feeling a little sick at the thought of his family's intentions, Robin straightened up and was about to set off again when the sound of his name made him stop in his tracks.

Spinning around he caught sight of the girl running down the hill, her brown hair was messy and her face was flushed but she was alive. "Princess you're… you're okay!" He gasped, catching her arms as she came to a halt in front of him. How on earth had she evaded capture? The De Noir's had been out for almost an hour and there was only one of her whilst there were at least fifteen men.

"I'm fine Robin, are you?" Maria asked softly, gasping happily as she heard a familiar bark and turned around to see Wrolf bounding down the hill towards them. As much as Robin hated the demon dog he was a little relieved to know that there was two looking out for the Princess instead of one. "Robin we need to find the pearls now. They're in a tree… the first moon Princess showed me! It's hollow and it has massive roots and there's not many trees around it…" She listed, painting a faint picture in his mind of somewhere Robin slightly recognized.

"Okay, I know where we need to go." Was all Robin needed to say before they set off, in search of the pearls that would decide their fate.

Every sound caught Robin's attention. Every cry of a bird made him flinch and every time there was a rustling of leaves not caused by them he would grab his knife. The De Noirs were out to get Maria, and they wouldn't just keep her prisoner this time. Her heart hammered behind her chest, but if she reached down and ran her hands through Wrolf's jet black fur or looked up at Robin's determined face, she felt a little safer than she did when she was running through the forest alone. It was terrifying how somewhere that once looked so welcoming could become a place of constant fright.

Rushing up slopes and through bushes meant there was no time for talking. Soon they slowed to a walk when Robin noticed Maria was getting tired, not to mention her long dress was a nuisance for her to hold above her boots constantly. She was now walking ahead of Robin, who feared someone would appear from behind, although he never said anything.

Maria was growing progressively doubtful about finding the pearls. They had been walking for half an hour now, luckily with no encounters with the De Noirs. But no other Moon Princess had found the moon pearls, so how would she? Perhaps she was destined to fail everyone as did her father. But as Maria noticed the tiny flowers that grew at the roots of trees and the burrows that were home to rabbits, the thought of this beautiful forest and everything that lived in it being destroyed spurred her on. She had to find the pearls, it was her destiny.

"We're almost there." Robin said, catching up with her. He pointed ahead to where the ground rose a little and at the top stood a majestic tree, its branches spreading out above her. Grinning, Maria rushed towards it, jumping slightly when she heard shouts. "Where's Wrolf?!" She suddenly cried, turning to Robin who looked alarmed. The loyal dog was nowhere to be seen. There was a crash as two men tumbled through the undergrowth not too far away from them.

Robin dashed forwards, grabbing her wrist and dragging her into the opening at the bottom of the tree before they were spotted. Wrolf would have to fend for himself for now. "They know where we are." He said quietly, mostly to himself, feeling as if he had let the Princess down.

She only smiled at him, her eyes guiding his to a small wooden door that was lodged into the ground in front of them. Curiosity fuelling them both on they pushed it open to reveal a dark, dusty room. "She must have lived here." Maria whispered, ignoring the banging behind them. Robin nodded, realizing that she was referring to the original Moon Princess. It was a magical room although small, with a bed covered in dusty sheets, a table carved from wood that held dusty pots and a statue of a bodice of a beautiful woman stood above the bed. Moss clung to the knotted roots above them, where little gaps let in glimmers of light.

It was haunting to think that someone as wonderful as the Moon Princess once lived in a room under a tree, Robin thought. It was much like his dear sister Loveday, though she lived in the forest due to the actions of Maria's idiot of an Uncle.

Maria was walking around in a daze, her hand lightly touching everything she looked at. When she reached the bodice her eyes widened as she noticed something she hadn't before. The statue of the woman was wearing a stone string of pearls around her neck. "Robin…" She gasped, reaching up to grasp the pearls that seemed to come alive in her hands. They glowed and gleamed as she held them, her heart filling up with so much joy. Robin caught sight of them, his eyes widening with surprise. He stared, not with greed and selfishness that the men of the Moon Princess' family did, but he stared at them with appreciation of their beauty and power.

A louder bang startled them both, and Robin sprang into action and held the door closed whilst Maria looked for another way out. "Here!" She cried, pulling down a handle in the shape of a horse, much like the one that was in her room. A smaller door opened and they dived through, only to find themselves in a tunnel which seemed to be carved through rocks. The light from the pearls guided them forwards through the twisting pathways. Then the horse appeared, glowing white. It trotted forwards and took the pathway to the left, disappearing as it reached the light. "She's showing us where to go." Maria mentioned, and smiling, Maria followed it.

When they climbed out of the tunnels, Maria noticed how the sun was no longer shining as bright, and dark shadows were cast across the leafy ground. Robin immediately took lead, trying to figure out where they were.

_The last Moon Princess will fall… _Maria stiffened, feeling the iciest of chills run through her. "Did you hear that?" She asked, glancing at him. She seemed to have caught his attention and assumed that he hadn't heard it.

_The traitor shall betray her…_

"Robin." Maria yelped, but he looked just as startled as she did.

"I heard _that_." He said quietly, avoiding her gaze.

Maria shivered, her instincts telling her that it was the Shadows. "They know, Robin." She cried softly. "They're coming for us." Robin shook his head, unsure of what to think. "We have to stop them, now." Maria said certainly, trying her best to muster some courage. Grabbing his hand, she turned him towards her. He was cold despite all the running. Holding the pearls between them, she took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

"I am Maria Merryweather, the pure heart and the last Moon Princess. I summon the Shadows forth to hear me speak." Maria cried out. There was a gush of wind that seemed to slice through her body, and suddenly it was cold. The air was still and the atmosphere had grown dark and gloomy. The Shadows were listening.


	19. Chapter 19

**~Chapter 19 - The Misunderstood~**

"You have terrorised the valley for far too long!" Maria said quietly, her grip on the moon pearls tightening as the cold winds seemed to rise from the grounds and shoot up into the air, fiercely ruffling the half bare trees. The shadows were trying to frighten her, and in all honestly it was working. Robin looked unnerved but he stood his ground. "You have killed! You have destroyed! And this valley shall suffer under your wrath no longer!"

With that, the Shadows seemed to take the threat seriously. Dark shapes began to form around the pair, appearing and disappearing, swarming like a hive of angry bees. The wind picked up again, howling and crying out as if it was in pain. "I, Maria Merriweather am the Pure and I stand by Robin De Noir, the misunderstood!" At this declaration the Shadows' fury increased. Robin's eyes were wide in contrast to his face which was void of emotion. He had no idea what was going on, but Maria understood. She was the pure- the pure heart that would save Moonacre, the Moon Princess. Robin was the misunderstood, a boy born into a clan where hatred ruled, a boy who did not know where his loyalties lay.

The Shadows knew this too. They knew that the hatred they feasted on for hundreds of years would vanish if the Moon Princess were to fulfil her potential. The moon pearls were glowing, a painful experience for the Shadows as it was a soft light of hope. They were strong however.

The wind was at its strongest now, encircling the two in its grasp. Ghostly faces formed and dissolved around them, hands reaching inwards. Their cries were barely audible but Robin could hear them, and he had gone stark white. It was as if something had dove into him and thrown out the caring and protective boy she had begun to know. He was nothing but a shell and it was scaring her. "With the power of the Moon Pearls I hereby banish you forever!" Maria cried out finally, and suddenly it all stopped. The wind grew silent and everything was still. Maria dropped to the floor from the sudden halt and sat there, out of breath. Robin however still had the haunted look and his eyes darted around for a split second as he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "Robin?" Maria whispered, watching him. It was as if he couldn't see her, and in a split second he had vanished, the sound of his footfalls as he ran through the undergrowth the last signs of him.

Maria sat, unable to comprehend what had just happened. The Shadows were gone, but so was Robin. He'd disappeared, run away, and abandoned her. Why? He had been so loyal, he had rescued her from his own family, gone against their values to help her save the valley. With a sickening blow Maria realised he had come to his senses and gone back to his family. She'd have to do this alone, without the comfort of the curly haired bird boy protecting her. She had Wrolf, or so she thought. The shaggy dog was nowhere to be seen either. Fighting back tears of betrayal and disappointment, Maria got to her feet and brushed away the leaves and dirt from her dress. The moon pearls still glowed faintly in her hands, representing the glimmer of hope she still held in her heart. She had to find the theatre to return the pearls to the ocean before the moon rose, and dusk was beginning to fall. Her stomach began to turn as she realised she had no idea where she was.

But her little white horse would help her surely! And so he did, appearing from behind the tree in which they had climbed out of, his white skin glistening despite the darkening sky. The horse tossed his head and neighed, before trotting ahead of Maria and stopping to look back. A smile grew on Maria's face as she noticed what was happening. A small flower began glowing a pure white colour, and then another flower lit up as the horse passed it. Her horse was leaving a trail of flowers for her to follow. It was not any flower though, it was the Astrid flower that Rose had told her about. The spark of hope Maria held in her heart ignited, and with her head held high she followed the trail of flowers that lead to where it all would end.

ROBINS POV

His head was so muddled that he couldn't make sense of what had just happened. Robin came to a halt abruptly at the edge of the forest, where the grass merged into rolling hills not too far from the village. Leaning against the tree he threw his hat to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to erase whatever had just happened from his mind. Even though his eyes were closed he could still see the shapes forming, the people reaching out at him, that one person in particular…

Robin had never met his mother. She had died giving birth to him and was never spoken of again, though her memory lived on in the castle. There was an empty seat by the head of the table where no one sat, there was the unused library and the gardens, and lastly there was the large painting of the Coeur and Mrs De Noir outside the dining hall. She had high cheekbones much like Loveday, and bright eyes that looked as though they held a lot of love in them. Her hair tumbled down in curls as did Robin's, and they shared the same dark eyes.

And he had seen her. Her face had materialised within the other ghosts. She was saying his name, but all he could hear was screams. It was almost as if he had watched her die in front of him. It was his fault, and now it hit him full force. All those years of his father telling him he wasn't worthy, all those years without a mother. He couldn't take it. He screamed out, letting a few betraying tears escape, trying to find relief from his mind.

This is not what she would want.

The realisation hit him, and Robin stood up straight. However much of a De Noir she was, he knew inside of him that she would not want him to let everything be destroyed by the curse. Whether it meant going against his family, Robin had to help Maria. She needed him, and he had run.

Picking up his bowler hat, Robin worked out where he was. If he ran as fast as he had before, he could make it to the cliff theatre in twenty minutes. Then he turned around, only to be shoved against a tree with a knife held against his neck.

"'Ight there, Robin? Been 'avin fun with your Moon Princess eh?" A scratchy voice greeted him, and Robin found himself glaring straight into the eyes of one of his father's best advisers. He struggled to get out of his grip but the sharp blade of the knife was cold on his skin, and he knew this man would waste no time in killing him.

The sound of hooves met his ears and his eyes darted up to see Coeur galloping down the hill on his black stallion, the anger evident in his face. "Traitor." Was the first thing he hissed as he climbed off of the horse and marched over to his son. "Does this family mean nothing to you?!" He shoved the adviser out of the way, this time threatening the boy with his own knife.

"Look at the moon, father!" Robin cried, wrenching himself out of his father's grip, his hand instinctively reaching for his belt. "Can't you see?! We're all going to die!"

"Liar!" Coeur roared, storming towards Robin again only to be held back by Robin's dagger, which was pointed at Coeur's chest. "You mean nothing to me, boy." Was the last thing he said before Wrolf came bounding through the trees, sending the other men scattering as they advanced to protect their leader. Inwardly thanking the demon dog, Robin raced off into the forest with Wrolf close behind him. It was only a couple of seconds later when he heard the gunshot and the whimper of pain that escaped Wrolf as he collapsed.


	20. Chapter 20

**~Chapter 20 - The Cliffside~**

MARIA

Maria climbed down the stone stairs into the circular clearing, stopping to catch her breath. It was quiet, almost too quiet. Her head raised to meet a pair of cold, unforgiving eyes. "I knew you would come here." Coeur said confidently, striding towards her. "This is where it all ends!" His dark hair hung in plaits and his black leather coat only made him look even bigger, even more intimidating. Maria however couldn't draw her eyes away from the ginormous looming moon that hung over the crashing sea, slowly coming nearer.

"Get away from her, Coeur De Noir!"

The second voice startled Maria and she turned to see Benjamin hurtling down the stairs, his face a picture of fury.

"Ah, Merriweather." Was the sarcastically overjoyed response from Coeur, and he stopped where he was. "Your niece has failed as you can see." He gestured behind him to the moon, and chuckled when Benjamin's mouth dropped open. "Now give me the pearls!" Maria gasped and stumbled backwards, holding the pearls behind her back.

"It's those damned pearls that have caused us all this heartache and grief!" Benjamin announced.

"No, it's the greed in our hearts that brings us this misery!" Maria cut in, close to tears. How could she have ever thought she could stop the curse? Just by seeing the two rivalling families together Maria knew it would take a lot to stop this.

Loveday then came rushing down the stairs with Digweed and Marmaduke following close behind, and Maria found herself feeling slightly disappointed amongst the other emotions that were coursing through her veins. Where was Robin? "Father!" Loveday cried, "Why is there so much hatred in your heart? Don't you want to be free of this darkness imprisoning you?!"

"Oh my daughter." Coeur sighed, catching sight of the grown daughter he had once banished. He seemed to visibly break down, his eyes saddening. "It is he." He said quietly at first, and then yelled it again, turning to face Benjamin.

"Father!" Loveday scolded, grabbing his hand, and then Benjamin's. Maria could see what she was doing and joined their hands with the pearls.

"Look at the moon! You both know it, the curse is coming true! Please, just sacrifice your pride to save our families!" Maria almost begged, her eyes darting from the pained expression of Benjamin to the anger in Coeur's eyes. Here stood the man that his daughter fell in love with, the man who ruined their family.

"You first." Was Benjamin's response, as he held a steady gaze with Coeur.

"No, no, after you."

Taking a deep breath, Maria threw their hands down in frustration. "I must do this myself." She whispered, her eyes rising to meet the gentle glow of the moon, the moon which would kill them all. Swallowing hard she walked towards the cliff's edge and looked down to the crashing waves below.

"Maria!" Everyone in the theatre turned to see Robin and Miss Heliotrope atop the stairs. Robin seemed to unfreeze and stumbled down the stairs, only to stop still when Loveday caught his arm and pulled him into a loving embrace. Maria turned back, holding the pearls up to the moon.

"At the 500th moon, I, Maria Merriweather the Moon Princess of Moonacre, do remove the curse that darkens this valley. Take back what is yours!" Maria cried out, and forcefully threw the string of pearls into the ocean, feeling a wave of relief as they fell. Suddenly they paused in mid-air, before swooping back up into her hands. Everyone was silent behind her as Maria tried to work out what to do. Then she pulled the necklace apart and scattered the pearls into the air. They flew only meters from her before doing the same thing again, but this time they attached to her deep red dress.

Now she felt sick, and she could hear Miss Heliotrope whimpering behind her. The ocean needed the pearls back and there was only one thing she could do. Maria turned around, her eyes stopping on each person who stood in the theatre. Loveday seemed to work out what was happening and stifled a gasp with her hands.

Robin stared straight back at her, his eyes searching for some sort of answer. And then he found it, in the fear she was trying so hard to conceal. _"She's going to jump." _Those words rang over and over in his head but before he could run forwards she had stepped over the edge and then she was gone.

Maria could just hear the yells from everyone as she dropped over the side, Miss Heliotrope's scream, Benjamin and Coeur yelling, Robin calling her name. She couldn't see how Robin was pulled back by Coeur as he tried to go after her, how Loveday fell into Benjamin's arms in grief, how Marmaduke and Digweed stood stock still and Miss Heliotrope almost crumpled in shock.

The darkness seemed to engulf her as she fell and her skirts billowed out around her until she hit the water with a splash, the coldness bringing her back to reality. Maria had never learnt to swim. The current carried her this way and that, though gently. She found herself sinking, little bubbles escaping her mouth as the oxygen in her lungs disappeared. The pearls on her dress fell and hit the sandy floor, letting off beams of light as they did so. It almost seemed peaceful, Maria thought as her eyes unwillingly began to close. It was over, she had done it.


	21. Chapter 21

**~Chapter 21 - The Misunderstood~**

Above the surface, the ground tremored. A mass of golden light travelled across the sea towards the cliff theatre, and the moon glowed brighter than before. Speechless from witnessing Maria fall into the choppy depths of the ocean, the group stood stock still as the light engulfed Moonacre, filling every crack and crevice. It was a warm light, one that danced through the blood of every living organism and escaped with their breath.

Robin, with his eyes screwed closed from the blinding light, had collapsed back onto his heels after scrabbling onto the rocks in his attempt to catch the Princess. In an instance the brightness left, and he felt its presence disappear like he had for a moment been weightless and was suddenly weighed down by gravity again. He was the first to open his eyes again, and the first to see how the skies were a calm purple once more, the moon swayed in the sky again and the sea had settled. One by one the rest of the group opened their eyes and looked around in a stunned silence at each other. The curse was broken, and Maria was gone.

"My darling girl…" Miss Heliotrope began in a broken whisper, staring out at the rippling waves. No one knew what to say. The joy of peace was completely overshadowed by the death of Maria and as much as they each wished they had acted differently to prevent it, all knew that it could not have happened any other way.

Another moment of silence passed by before the crashing of waves grew louder and louder until the group was forced to look out at the horizon in horror, fearing that the curse had not in fact been broken. A giant wave was rolling and prancing towards the cliff theatre, a wave that stretched as far as the eye could see and whose foam bubbled into the shape of galloping horses.

"It can't be!" Sir Benjamin gasped, striding forwards. For there, atop one of the foamy horses, lay a young girl with hair that resembled fire.

With a giant leap the horse landed gracefully on the sandy floor of the theatre, its white skin glowing against the dark sky. But it was not any horse, a glittering horn was between it's ears. It was Maria's unicorn and on it's back lay the Princess.

MARIA

Maria shifted, the fogginess clearing from her brain as she heard multiple voices calling her name. As she opened her eyes and the world came into focus, she saw those that she loved standing around her, expressions of disbelief, relief and joy across their faces.

"Oh my dear child, you're okay!" Sir Benjamin gasped, rushing forwards to help the girl down. It was an almost surreal feeling to see tears sparkling at the corners of her Uncle's eyes or to hear Miss Heliotrope's delighted sobs. Maria smiled as Sir Benjamin enveloped her in a hug, her eyes meeting those of a young man who stood smirking by his father.

"Were you worried, Robin?" She asked.

Robin chuckled. "No, anyone could do that." He quipped, earning a whack over the head by Loveday. All but Maria had seen his reaction to her sacrifice. She laughed, wanting terribly to tell him that his bravery had given her the courage to sacrifice herself for the Valley. She wanted him to know the indescribable feeling of relief to see him appear at the stairs of the stone theatre, how she had thought he had abandoned her forever. But the words seemed to escape her, and she settled for attempting to swipe his hat to which he ducked with a grin.

Loveday swatted her brother out of the way and squeezed Maria tightly in her arms. "You are the true Moon Princess." She whispered, pressing a kiss to the girl's forehead. In that moment, a resounding roar echoed throughout the theatre as a magnificent black lion strode through the archway.

The group turned to face the sound in horror, whilst Maria only gave a knowing smile as Sir Benjamin cursed behind her. "Don't worry Uncle, it's only Wrolf." She admitted, her eyes following the graceful creature as he padded across to join the Unicorn. Her heart was warmed to know the lion had been watching over the family for as long as anyone could remember.

ROBIN

Robin hadn't noticed the lion. He had his left fist shoved tightly in the pocket of his jacket, his eyes trained furiously on the floor. In the pure chaos of Maria's sacrifice and the events that occurred before, he had not acknowledged the prickling feeling that ran through the veins in his hand. But after experiencing the warmth of the light that flooded the valley once the curse was broken he had not failed to notice how his hand remained bitingly cold. Then he saw it. His skin had turned the colour of his clothes, it's texture like that of stone. Swallowing hard, he hid his hand away so no one would see how it had blackened. His mind flashed back to the moment Couer had met Maria.

_His skin was pitch black yet still smooth, almost as if it had been charred in a fire yet not burnt. Out of the corner of her eye, Maria saw Robin grimace. "Does it seem like just a story to you now?" He growled, holding his hand out in front of her._

'Forget it, Robin'. He thought to himself, shaking his head slightly and returning his focus to the conversation that was occurring next to him. He would deal with this issue later.

The revelation of Wrolf seemed to have shaken Sir Benjamin to his senses, as he turned to Loveday with a look of pure adoration. "Loveday, please forgive my foolish pride." He apologised.

It was with a mixture of joy and brotherly disgust that Robin listened to Benjamin profess his love to Loveday. He was only seventeen – the idea of wanting to marry someone both intrigued and terrified him, but perhaps it wasn't such a farfetched idea. His gaze flickered to the Moon Princess, who stood against the night sky like she belonged in front of the stars. She really was special.

"Stop right there! I'll end this now."

A large De Noir dressed in leathers stood at the stairs, his menacing gaze fixed on Maria and his finger planted firmly on the trigger of his gun.

The chill that ran down Robin's spine at the sound of those words jolted him into action. He didn't have time to get to the man, he was too far. There was no reasoning with him; all he had ever known was to stop the curse being broken. His eyes once again landed on his Princess, who stood horrified in the line of fire. There was only one thing he could do.

_Bang_

Robin De Noir was the misunderstood, and he knew where his loyalties lay.


End file.
